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TUFTS   UNIVERSITY   LIBRARIES 


THE  SPORTSMAN'S  CLUB  SERIES. 


THE 


SPORTSMAN'S  CLUB 


IN  THE  SADDLE. 


BY  HARRY  CASTLEMON, 

author  of  "  the  gunboat  series,"  "  go  ahead  series," 
"rocky  mountain  series,"  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA 
HENRY  T.  COAXES  &  CO. 


FAMOUS  CASTLEMON  BOOKS. 


GUNBOAT  SERIES.     By  Harry  Castlemon.    6  vols.    12mo. 

Frank  the  Young  Naturalist.  Frank  on  a  Gunboat. 

Frank  in  the  Woods.  Frank  before  Vicksburg. 

Frank  on  the  Lower  Mississippi.         Frank  on  the  Prairie. 

ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  SERIES.     By  Harry  Castlemon.     3  vols.    12mo. 
Cloth. 

Frank  among  the  Rancheros.        Frank  at  Don  Carlos'  Ranch. 
Frank  in  the  Mountain.s. 

SPORTSMAN'S  CLUB  SERIES.    By  Harry  Castlemon.    3  vols.   12mo. 
Cloth. 

The  Sportsman's  Club  in  the  Saddle. 

The  Sportsman's  Club  Afloat. 

The  Sportsman's  Club  among  the  Trappers. 

FRANK    NELSON    SERIES.     By   Harry  Castlejion.     3  vols.     12mo. 
Cloth. 

Snowed  Up.         Feank  in  the  Forecastle.         The  Boy  Traders. 

BOY  TRAPPER  SERIES.    By  Harry  Castlemon.    3  vols.    12kio.   Cloth. 
The  Buried  Treasure.      The  Boy  Trapper.      The  Mail-Carrier. 

ROUGHING  IT  SERIES.    By  Harry  Castlemon.    3  vols.    12mo.    Cloth. 
George  in  Camp.     George  at  the  "Wheel.      George  at  the  Fort. 

ROD  AND  GUN  SERIES.    By  Harry  Castlemon.   3  vols.   12!no.    Cloth. 
Don  Gordon's  Shooting  Box.  Rod  and  Gun  Club. 

The  Young  Wild  Fowlers. 

GO-AHEAD  SERIES.    By  Harry  Castlemon.    3  vols.    12ino.    Cloth. 
Tom  Newcombe.  Go-Ahead.  No  Moss. 

FOREST  AND  STREAM  SERIES.     By  Harry  Castlemon.  3  vols.  12rao. 
Cloth. 
Joe  Wayring.  Snagged  and  Sunk.  Steel  Horse. 

WAR  SERIES.    By  Harry  Castlemon.    5  vols.    12mo.    Cloth. 

True  to  his  Colors.  Rodney  the  Partisan. 

Rodney  the  Overseer.  Marcy  the  Blockade-Runner. 

Marcy  the  Refugee. 

Other  Volumes  in  Preparation, 

Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873,  by 

R.  W.  CARROLL  &  CO., 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Walter  and  Eugene      ....••••    Page  5 

CHAPTER  II. 
A  Midnight  Alarm      .•...••••    24 

CHAPTER  III. 
Bayard  Bell  and  his  Crowd         .        .•••••    45 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Wild-Hog  Hunting •••BS 

CHAPTER  V. 
Perk  in  a  Predicament        ••••••••84 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Bayard's  Plans  ••..•••••  105 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Bayard  visits  the  Schooner        .         ••••••  129 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
What  happened  there •        •  149 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Where  Featherweight  was  ...••••  166 


iy  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X. 
The  Friend  in  the  Corn-Crib 187 

CHAPTER  XI. 
The  Siege 208 

CHAPTER  XII. 
How  Wilson  escaped •        •        •  230 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Perk  takes  a  Bath 263 

CHAPTER  XrV. 
Chape  turns  the  Tables 270 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Th?  Revenue  Cutter  .••*••••  *®* 


THE 

SPORTSMAN'S  CLUB 

IN  THE  SADDLE. 


-<•■ 


CHAPTER  I. 

"WALTER  AND  EUGENE. 

"TTTHICH  is  the  pleasantest  season  of  the  year, 
boy  reader  ?  No  doubt  you  have  written 
more  than  one  composition  on  the  subject,  and  per- 
haps you  will  say,  as  most  boys  do,  that  you  like 
winter  best.  If  you  live  in  the  city  you  can 
spend  your  leisure  hours  at  the  skating-rink  ;  or  it 
may  be  that  your  father  owns  an  ice-boat,  and  you 
take  great  delight  in  riding  in  it.  Your  cousin 
Tom,  who  lives  in  the  country,  will  tell  you  that 
winter  is  the  time  for  him,  for  he  is  fond  of  sleigh- 
riding,  and  sees  any  amount  of  sport  at  quiltings, 
apple-bees,  corn-huskings  and  surprise  parties.  If 
you  had  asked  Walter  and  Eugene  Gaylord  what 


THE   sportsman's   CLUB 


they  thought  about  it,  Eugene,  who  was  a  lively, 
talkative  fellow,  would  have  answered  you  something 
like  this: 

"  We  see  more  real  fun  in  one  week  during  the 
winter  time  than  in  all  the  rest  of  the  year.  The 
quails,  that  have  been  rearing  their  broods  in  these 
fields  during  the  summer,  are  in  prime  condition 
then,  and  if  you  ever  handled  a  shot-gun  or  owned 
a  setter,  you  know  there  is  no  sport  in  the  world 
like  shooting  on  the  wing.  Wild  turkeys  are  plenty, 
also.  They  come  into  the  hills  about  here  to  feed 
on  the  beech-nuts.  It  is  time  then  to  set  traps  for 
minks  and  to  go  coon-hunting.  Minks  are  abun- 
dant about  here,  and  their  skins  are  worth  two 
dollars  apiece.  And  then,  is  there  any  music  in 
the  world  that  can  equal  the  baying  of  a  hound  of 
a  clear,  frosty  morning  ?  That  brier  patch  down 
there  covers  more  than  tAVO  hundred  acres — father 
calls  it  his  preserves — it  is  literally  filled  with 
rabbits  and  foxes,  and  our  club  owns  a  pack  of 
the  best  hounds  in  the  state.  That  sheet  of  water 
you  see  over  there  is  an  arm  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  I  don't  exaggerate  when  I  say  that  I 
have  seen  it  black  with  wild  geese  and  ducks. 
They  stay  around  Lere  during  the  fall  and  winter. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  7 

All  tin)  shooting  we  can  do  will  not  frigliten  tLem 
away,  for  the  bay  is  an  excellent  feeding-ground, 
and  it  never  freezes  over.  You  know  the  winters 
are  not  as  cold  down  here  as  they  are  up  North. 
Deer  are  plenty  in  the  swamp,  bears  are  so  abun- 
dant that  they  are  really  troublesome,  wild  hogs 
you  can  find  any  day,  and  panthers  are  killed  on 
our  plantation  every  winter.  And  then,  if  every 
other  source  of  excitement  should  fail  us,  there  are 
Bayard  Bell  and  his  crowd  of  fellows,  who  are 
bound  that  the  members  of  our  club  shall  not  enjoy 
a  minute's  peace  if  they  can  help  it.  You  see, 
while  we  were  students  at  the  Academy  at  Bellville 
last  summer,  our  club  defeated  Bayard  and  his 
crew  in  a  four-oared  race  for  the  championship,  and 
that  made  him  very  angry.  More  than  that,  he 
wanted  to  be  commodore  of  the  academy  squadron, 
but  when  the  election  came  off  he  was  badly  beaten, 
iind  that  was  another  thing  that  made  him  mad. 
He  has  promised  to  square  yards  with  every  one 
of  us  this  winter,  and  we  are  waiting  to  see  what 
he  will  do.  I  like  these  long  evenings,  too.  When 
the  wind  is  whistling  dismally  without,  and  the  rain 
and  sleet  are  rattling  against  the  window-panes, 
isn't  it  jolly  to  dra>>   up  in  front  of  a  warm  fire, 


8  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

and  while  away  the  hours  with  a  game  of  chess  or 
backgammon  with  some  good  fellow,  or  listen  to 
the  stories  of  Uncle  Dick,  who  has  travelled  over 
every  portion  of  the  habitable  globe  ?  0,  we  always 
see  plenty  of  sport  during  the  winter." 

Two  better  boys  than  Walter  and  Eugene  Gay- 
lord  never  lived,  and  none  ever  had  a  pleasanter 
home  or  a  kinder  father  and  mother.  When  we 
say  that  they  were  good  boys,  we  do  not  mean  that 
they  were  perfect.  We  would  not  give  a  fig  for  an 
army  of  perfect  boys,  even  if  there  were  such 
impossible  -things  in  the  world ;  but,  thank  good- 
ness, they  do  not  exist  outside  of  story-books. 
Walter  and  Eugene  had  their  faults,  and  some 
glaring  ones,  too,  like  all  other  live,  wide-awake 
boys.  They  had  done  things  they  were  sorry  for 
and  did  not  mean  to  do  again ;  and,  on  more  than 
one  occasion — we  regret  to  say  it,  but  candor  com- 
pels us — they  had  been  seen  with  very  long  faces 
walking  reluctantly  into  the  library,  whither  they 
were  followed  by  their  father,  who  carried  in  his 
hand  something  that  looked  very  much  like  an 
apple-tree  switch.  But,  for  all  that,  they  were 
first-rate  fellows — kind,  obliging,  and  good-tem- 
pered. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  9 

There  was  a  year's  difference  in  tLeir  ages,  and 
a  great  deal  of  difference  in  their  tastes,  disposi- 
tions and  habits.  Walter,  the  older,  thoroughly 
enjoyed  himself  in  a  quiet  way,  and  thought  more 
of  a  good  book  and  a  pair  of  slippers  than  he  did 
of  the  ball  club  and  debating  society.  He  owned 
a  splendid  double-barrel,  and  was  an  excellent  shot 
on  the  wing ;  but  he  had  been  known  to  sit  for 
hours  behind  his  brush-blind  on  the  banks  of  the 
bayou,  and  watch  a  flock  of  canvas-backs,  which 
were  sporting  about  in  the  water  within  easy  range 
of  his  gun,  without  firing  a  shot  at  them.  He  was 
studying  their  habits,  he  said.  Eugene,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  a  wild,  uneasy  fellow,  and  he  could 
not  possibly  enjoy  himself  without  plenty  of  noise. 
He  was  a  capital  sailor,  and  nothing  suited  him 
better  than  to  stand  at  the  helm  of  the  Banner 
(that  was  the  name  of  the  yacht  he  and  his  brother 
owned,  and  a  swift,  beautiful  little  craft  she  vras) 
while  she  was  bounding  over  the  waves  of  the  bay 
before  a  stiff  breeze  with  all  her  canvas  spread. 
He  was  an  enthusiastic  and  skilful  fisherman,  a 
good  shot,  and  woe  to  the  squirrel  or  duck  that 
showed  its  head  within  range  of  his  Smith  &  Wesson 
vifle.      It    made    no    difference    to    him    what    the 


10  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

*' habits"  of  the  game  were,  so  long  as  he  secured 
a  respectable  bunch  to  carry  home.  He  had  more 
than  once  been  capsized  in  the  bay ;  had  broken 
his  arm  in  an  attempt  to  climb  one  of  the  lofty  elm 
trees  in  the  yard ;  had  tumbled  over  cliffs  while 
searching  for  sea-gulls'  nests ;  and  had  fallen  into 
quick-sands,  while  stalking  pelicans  in  the  swamp, 
and  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life ;  but  he  was 
hale  and  hearty  still,  and  none  the  worse  for  his 
adventures. 

Walter  and  Eugene  lived  in  the  state  of  Louisi- 
ana, about  forty  miles  from  the  thriving  village  of 
Bellville,  in  a  large  stone  house  which  was  so  com- 
pletely concealed  by  the  thick  shrubbery  and  trees 
that  surrounded  it,  that  not  even  its  chimneys  could 
be  seen  from  the  road.  A  gravelled  carriage-way 
led  from  the  gate  to  the  dwelling,  and  then  turning 
abruptly  to  the  right  ran  down  a  steep  bank  to  the 
boat-house.  In  front  of  the  boat-house  a  stone 
jetty  extended  out  into  the  water ;  and  at  the  end 
of  it  was  anchored  a  buoy,  to  which,  had  you  been 
a  visitor  at  the  Gaylord  mansion  during  the  sum- 
mer, you  would  have  seen  moored  a  rakish  little 
schooner  that  held  a  high  place  in  the  estimation 
of  our  young  friends.      And  had  you  seen  that  same 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  11 

schooner  under  way,  you  would  have  noticed  that  a 
Commodore's  broad  pennant  floated  from  her  mast- 
head ;  for  Walter  Gaylord  was  commander  of  the 
Columbia  Yacht  Club,  and  the  Banner  was  his  flag- 
ship. At  the  time  our  story  begins,  however,  the 
yachting  season  was  over,  and  the  schooner,  being 
too  large  to  be  stowed  away  in  the  boat-house,  had 
been  hauled  into  a  neighboring  bayou  and  hidden 
among  the  bushes,  where  she  would  be  effectually 
protected  from  the  fury  of  the  storms  that  visited 
the  coast  during  the  winter.  She  had  sailed  many 
a  race  during  the  previous  summer,  and  the  pair  of 
gold-mounted  field-glasses  which  occupied  a  promi- 
nent place  on  the  centre-table  in  the  boy's  room, 
and  which  they  never  neglected  to  show  to  visitors, 
proved  that  she  had  been  victorions  in  at  least  one 
of  them.  Her  young  masters  thought  that  her 
work  for  the  year  was  over,  but  it  turned  out  other- 
wise. She  was  destined  before  the  winter  was 
ended,  to  accomplish  something  that  far  surpassed 
all  her  former  exploits,  and  to  sail  in  waters  and 
visit  countries  that  none  of  her  crew  had  ever  seen 
before. 

On  the  floor  of  the  boat-house  lay  a  long  nar- 
row object  coveied  with  canvas  to  protect  it  from 


12  THE   sportsman's    CLUB 

the  damp  and  dust.  It  was  a  four-oared  shell,  tlie 
property  of  the  Sportsman's  Club.  There  were 
people  in  the  village  who  could  say  that  they  had 
seen  the  schooner  beaten  in  a  fair  race,  but  not  one 
who  could  say  the  same  of  the  Spray.  Whether 
her  success  was  owing  to  the  boat  itself,  or  to  the 
muscle  and  long  wind  of  those  who  handled  the 
oars,  is  a  question.  The  club  gave  all  the  credit  to 
the  boat ;  and  you  would  have  had  hard  work  to 
make  them  believe  that  she  did  not  go  faster,  and 
skim  more  lightly  over  the  waves,  ever  since  that 
memorable'  afternoon  in  August  when  she  wrested 
the  champion  colors  from  the  Emma,  which  every- 
body imagined  to  be  the  swiftest  boat  about  the  vil- 
lage. Bayard  Bell,  the  owner  and  stroke  of  the 
Emma,  was  highly  enraged  over  his  defeat.  Ho 
forthwith  challenged  the  Spray  to  another  trial  of 
speed,  and  sent  to  New  Orleans  for  his  cousins 
Will  and  Seth  Bell,  who  belonged  to  a  boat  club 
there,  and  who  considered  themselves  crack  oars- 
men, to  come  dowm  and  train  his  crew  and  pull  in 
the  race.  The  contest  came  off  in  the  presence  of 
the  village  people  and  all  the  students  of  the  Acad- 
emy, and  the  Spray  walked  away  from  the  Emma 
and  her  picked  crew  as  easily  as  though  the  latter 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  13 

had  been  standing  still.  Then  Bayard  was  angrier 
than  ever,  and  his  city  cousins,  who  hid  expected 
to  win  an  easy  victory  over  the  "  country  bump- 
kins," were  astonished.  The  former  declared  that 
the  Spray  had  been  rowed  in  a  race  for  the  last 
time,  and  Will  and  Seth  said  that  if  they  could 
not  beat  her  by  fair  means  they  could  by  foul,  and 
that  when  the  next  season  opened  the  village  peo- 
ple would  see  the  champion  colors  restored  to  the 
Emma,  to  which  they  rightfully  belonged.  This 
threat  reached  the  ears  of  Walter  and  his  crew, 
who,  knowing  what  a  vindictive,  persevering  fellow 
they  had  to  deal  with,  kept  a  close  watch  over  their 
beloved  boat,  and  never  allowed  a  day  to  pass  with- 
out spending  half  an  hour  in  swinging  their  Indian 
clubs  and  dumb-bells. 

Outside  the  boat-house,  and  turned  up  against 
it,  was  the  skiff  which  Walter  and  Eugene  used 
when  they  went  hunting  on  the  bay.  On  the 
ground  near  it  lay  a  pile  of  bushes  which  were 
used  as  a  blind  to  conceal  the  hunters  when  they 
were  pulling  toward  the  game.  The  w^indoA^  of 
their  room  looked  out  upon  the  bay,  and  if  tliey 
discovered  a  flock  of  geese  or  ducks  neai  the  shore, 
it  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  minutes  to  launch  the 


14  THE   sportsman's    CLUB 

BkifF,  put  up  the  blind,  and  be  off.     In  this  way 
they  had  obtained  many  an  excellent  dinner. 

About  a  hundred  yards  further  up  the  bank,  to 
the  left  of  the  boat-house,  were  the  stables  whero 
Mr.  Gaylord  kept  his  riding  and  some  of  his  farm- 
horses,  and  the  kennels  which  afforded  shelter  to 
his  hounds.  Horses  and  hounds  were  made  much 
of  in  those  days,  and  Mr.  Gaylord  and  his  brother, 
Uncle  Dick,  took  as  much  pride  in  theirs  as  any 
old  English  huntsman.  Walter  and  Eugene  were 
well  provided  for  in  this  particular,  and  their  sad- 
dle-nags and  dogs  were  the  envy  of  all  the  young 
hunters  in  the  parish.  Walter  rode  a  large,  milk- 
white  charger,  w^hich  was  like  his  master  in  more 
respects  than  one.  He  was  as  steady  as  a  plough- 
horse,  afraid  of  nothing,  was  generally  very  delib- 
erate in  his  movements,  and  on  ordinary  occasions 
went  along  at  a  snail's  pace,  his  head  down,  his 
eyes  half-closed,  and  his  ears  bobbing  back  and 
forth  with  every  step  he  made.  But,  after  all, 
there  was  plenty  of  spirit  in  him.  Let  him  once 
hear  the  hounds  in  full  cry,  or  let  his  rider  tighten 
the  reins  and  give  him  even  the  slightest  touch 
with  the  spur,  and  the  old  horse's  head  would  come 
up,  and  he  would  step  off  in  a  way  that  made  it 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  15 

exceedipglj  difficult  fbr  any  but  a  fleet-footed  nag 
to  keep  pace  with  him.  Eugene's  horse  was  a  dif- 
ferent sort  of  animal  altogether.  He  was  a  small, 
light-bodied  roan,  fiery  and  vicious,  and  so  restless 
that  he  never  would  stand  still  long  enough  for  his 
rider  to  become  fairly  seated  in  the  saddle.  But 
the  two  got  along  very  well  together.  The  horse 
always  wanted  his  own  way,  and  Eugene  was  quite 
willing  that  he  should  have  it. 

There  were  seven  dogs  in  their  pack.  Six  of  them 
were  common  deer-hounds — large  tan-colored  ani- 
mals, staunch  and  swift ;  and  when  they  once 
opened  on  a  trail,  how  they  would  make  the  woods 
ring  with  their  music !  The  other  was  an  Irish 
greyhound,  a  present  from  Uncle  Dick.  He  stood 
nearly  three  feet  high  at  the  shoulders,  and  was 
as  fleet  as  the  wind.  He  was  good-natured  enough 
generally,  but  savage  when  aroused. 

The  country  about  Mr.  Gaylord's  plantation  wag 
but  thinly  populated,  and  wild  in  the  extreme. 
His  nearest  neighbor,  Mr.  Bell,  lived  three  miles 
away,  and  the  nearest  settlement  was  at  Bellville, 
forty  miles  distant.  Mr.  Gaylord's  family  had  but 
little  intercourse  with  the  family  of  Mr.  Bell.  The 
younger  members  engaged  in  a  pitched  battle  occa- 


16  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

sionally;  and  their  fathers,  when  they  met  on  the 
road,  merely  saluted  each  other  in  a  dignified  man- 
ner, and  passed  without  speaking.  Mr.  Bell  did 
not  seem  to  be  on  good  terms  with  anybody  except 
a  brother  who  lived  in  New  Orleans  (Will's  father 
and  Seth's),  and  who  was  equally  unpopular  with 
himself.  He  had  at  one  time  stood  high  in  the 
community  (the  village  of  Bellville  was  named 
after  him),  but  of  late  he  had  gone  down  hill 
rapidly  in  the  estimation  of  his  former  associates. 
There  was  a  mystery  surrounding  him  that  none 
could  penetrate.  He  was  engaged  in  business  of 
some  kind,  but  no  one  knew  what  it  was.  For  two 
years  he  had  been  making  money  rapidly — much 
faster  than  he  could  have  made  it  by  cultivating 
his  orange  plantation — and  the  settlers  had  at  last 
become  suspicious,  and  hinted  that  he  was  engaged 
in  some  traffic  that  the  authorities  would  one  day 
put  a  stop  to. 

Walter  and  Eugene  were  students  at  the  Bell- 
ville Academy — or  rather  they  had  been  until  a  few 
weeks  ago  when  the  Fire  King  stepped  in  and  de- 
stroyed the  buildings,  and  gave  the  scholars  a  long 
vacation.  Our  heroes  regarded  this  as  a  great 
calamity,  and  so  did  every  one  of  the  students,  for 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  17 

tLey  loved  the  Academy  and  all  its  surroundings. 
It  was  no  wonder  that  tbej  held  the  institution  in 
high  esteem,  for  the  faculty  w^ere  men  who  under- 
stood the  nature  of  boys,  and  knowing  how  to  com- 
bine profit  with  pleasure,  they  had  made  the  school 
a  sort  of  modern  Athens,  where  muscles  were  cul- 
tivated as  well  as  brains.  So  varied  were  the  ex- 
ercises and  amusements  that  the  most  exacting 
students  could  not  fail  to  find  something  to  interest 
them.  For  the  sober,  studious  ones  who  preferred 
quiet  sport,  there  was  the  yacht  club,  and  also  the 
classes  in  Geology,  Botany,  and  Natural  History, 
the  members  of  which  spent  a  portion  of  each 
school  term  camping  out  in  the  woods  with  their 
professors ;  and  for  the  active  boys,  who  delighted 
in  violent  exercises,  there  were  ball  clubs,  boat 
clubs,  a  gymnasium,  and  boxing  and  fencing  mas- 
ters. Walter  and  Eugene  were  lonesome  in  their 
country  home,  and  looked  forward  with  impatience 
to  the  coming  summer,  when  the  new  buildings 
would  be  ready  for  occupation.  Uncle  Dick,  how- 
ever, hinted  that  it  would  be  a  long  time  before 
they,  or  any  of  the  members  of  the  Sportsman's 
Club,  would  enter  the  new  academy  as  students ; 
but  when  the  boys  asked  him  what  he  meant,  he 
2 


18  THE  sportsman's  club 

poked  them  in  the  ribs  with  his  finger,  looked  very 
wise,  and  said  nothing. 

The  house  in  which  Walter  and  Eugene  lived 
looked  like  any  other  ordinary  country  house  on 
the  outside,  and  on  the  inside  too,  for  that  matter, 
except  in  one  particular.  Away  up  in  the  third 
story,  next  to  the  roof,  was  a  room,  the  like  of 
which,  we  venture  to  say,  was  never  seen  in  any 
other  dwellinor.  It  belonojed  to  Uncle  Dick.  It 
was  a  neat,  cosy  apartment,  and  if  you  had  been 
conducted  into  it  blindfolded,  you  would  have 
thought',  when  you  were  permitted  to  use  your  eyes 
again,  that  you  were  in  the  cabin  of  some  splendid 
vessel.  Indeed,  Uncle  Dick  intended  that  it  should 
look  as  much  like  one  as  possible.  He  was  an  old 
sailor,  cherishing  an  affection  for  the  blue  water 
that  nothing  could  change,  and  he  had  been  so  long 
accustomed  to  life  on  shipboard  that  he  found  it 
hard  work  to  stay  ashore.  His  cabin  reminded 
him  of  his  ocean  home,  and  it  did  not  require  a 
very  great  stretch  of  imagination  for  him  to  fancy 
himself  still  on  board  his  vessel. 

The  apartment  was  just  about  the  size  of  the 
cabin  of  an  ordinary  merchantman.  There  were 
three  small  windows  on  one  side  of  it,  and  undei 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  19 

them  -was  a  sofa,  upon  which  Uncle  Dick  took  his 
after-dinner  nap  as  regularly  as  he  did  while  he 
was  the  commander  of  a  whaler.  The  windows  on 
the  other  two  sides  were  "bull's  eyes"  —  round, 
thick  plates  of  glass  enclosed  in  iron  frames  and  set 
into  the  wall.  Uncle  Dick  always  kept  these  bull's 
eyes  open  in  fair  weather,  but  as  surely  as  a  storm 
came  up  he  would  close  and  fasten  them.  One  would 
hardly  suppose  that  a  great  deal  of  rain  could  come 
in  at  these  small  openings,  let  the  tempest  be  never 
so  furious ;  but  Uncle  Dick  always  thought  of  the 
waves  he  had  seen  on  the  ocean.  He  said  he  did 
not  want  the  sea  to  come  rushing  into  his  cabin  and 
spoiling  all  his  fine  furniture.  When  we  remind 
you  that  the  house  was  three  stories  high,  and  tell 
you  that  it  stood  upon  the  top  of  a  hill  at  least  five 
hundred  yards  from  the  bay,  you  will  know  how 
much  probability  there  was  that  salt  water  would 
ever  wash  in  at  those  bull's  eyes. 

There  were  no  doors  in  the  cabin ;  at  least  such 
doors  as  we  have  in  our  houses.  A  small  ladder  on 
one  side  of  the  room  led  up  to  a  trap-door  in  the 
roof  (the  "deck,"  Uncle  Dick  always  called  it),  and 
that  was  the  only  way  one  could  go  in  and  out  of 
the  cabin.     There  was  one  door  that  opened  into 


20  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

Uncle  Dick's  state-room,  but  that  was  not  hung  on 
hinges;  it  worked  on  a  slide. 

The  old  sailor  turned  up  his  nose  at  a  bedstead, 
and  always  slept  in  a  bunk.  His  looking-glass  waa 
fastened  to  the  wall ;  his  w^ash-stand  was  held  firmly 
in  its  place  by  screws ;  his  centre-table,  on  which 
"Was  always  to  be  found  Bowditch's  Navigator,  a 
chart  or  two,  and  a  telescope,  was  also  screwed  fast 
to  the  floor,  and  provided  with  a  raised  edge  to  keep 
the  articles  from  falling  oiF  when  the  old  mansion 
■was  rocking  and  tumbling  about  in  a  gale.  Walter 
and  Eugene  always  laughed  when  they  saw  this 
contrivance.  The  idea  that  a  solid  stone  house, 
that  had  withstood  the  storms  of  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, coulil  so  far  forget  itself  as  to  rock  about  in 
the  wind  sufficiently  to  displace  any  of  Uncle  Dick's 
furniture,  was  highly  amiusing  to  them.  But  it  was 
no  laughing  matter  with  the  old  sailor.  He  was  in 
earnest  about  it ;  and  if  he  had  been  on  the  point 
of  starting  with  the  mansion  on  a  voyage  across  the 
Atlantic,  he  could  not  have  taken  more  pains  to  get 
everything  in  his  cabin  in  readiness  for  the  storms 
he  would  be  likely  to  meet  on  the  way. 

There  was  one  thing  that  did  not  look  exactly 
ship-shape,  and  that  was  a  huge  book-case  which 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  21 

occupied  one  side  of  the  cabin.  A  portion  of  it  ^  aa 
filled  with  books,  and  the  rest  with  what  Uncle 
Dick  called  his  "relics."  There  were  at  least  a 
hundred  articles  of  every  description  in  that  book- 
case, and  there  was  not  one  among  them  that  was 
not  associated  in  the  mind  of  the  old  sailor  with 
some  exciting  event.  For  example,  there  was  a  har- 
poon, such  as  whalers  use,  with  a  long  rope  attached, 
which  was  laid  down  in  Flemish  coil  on  the  bottom 
of  the  book-case.  Whenever  Uncle  Dick  looked  at 
those  articles  it  recalled  to  his  mind  the  time  when 
that  harpoon  was  buried  in  the  side  of  a  huge  sperm 
whale,  and  that  rope  caught  around  his  leg  and 
he  was  dranrored  into  the  water,  and  down,  down,  it 
seemed  to  him,  almost  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean. 
There  was  a  condor  of  the  Andes,  stuffed  and 
mounted,  and  looking  so  life-like  that  one  almost 
expected  to  see  it  spread  its  immense  wings  and 
come  crashing  through  the  glass  doors  of  the  book- 
case. That  reminded  Uncle  Dick  of  a  startling 
adventure  in  South  America.  In  the  same  com- 
partment was  a  lance,  with  a  bright  iron  head,  and 
a  long,  slender  shaft,  ornamented  with  a  portion  of  a 
horse's  tail.  That  lance  had  come  from  the  desert  of 
Sahara;  andif  jou  couldhave  examined  Uncle  Dick's 


22  THE  sportsman's  clcb 

right  arm,  you  would  have  found,  among  the  flags, 
ships,  anchors  and  other  emblems  with  which  it  was 
decorated,  a  long,  ragged  scar  from  a  wound  made 
by  that  very  lance.  A  little  further  on  hung  the 
bridle,  saddle  and  turban  of  the  Bedouin  who  had 
handled  the  weapon  when  Uncle  Dick  received  that 
wound.  There  were  the  snow-shoes  on  which  he 
had  travelled  over  the  plains  of  the  Red  River  of 
the  North,  and  under  them  was  the  Indian  canoe 
thnt  had  carried  him  and  a  companion  from  Fort 
Churchill,  one  of  the  most  northern  posts  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  to  the  Red  River  settle- 
ment. In  the  next  compartment  was  the  Esqui- 
maux sled  in  which  he  had  traversed  many  a  mile 
of  the  ice-fields  of  Greenland.  Further  on  was  the 
draofoon's  carbine  he  had  shouldered  at  the  break- 
ing  out  of  the  Mexican  war,  and  the  major's  sword 
and  sash  he  had  worn  when  he  entered  the  city  of 
Mexico  with  General  Scott.  And  so  we  might  go 
on  for  a  whole  chapter,  and  still  not  notice  all  the 
different  articles  in  the  book-case.  Besides  these, 
there  were  numerous  others  scattered  about  the 
room.  In  every  corner,  hung  upon  the  walls,  and 
suspended  from  the  ceiling,  the  eye  rested  on  toma- 
hawks, bows  and  arrows,  and  scalping-knives  from 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  23 

the  plains ;  sharks'  teeth  and  pearl-oyster  shells 
from  the  South  Pacific ;  reindeers'  antlers  and 
harpoons  from  Hudson's  Bay ;  and  relics  from 
Herculaneum  and  Pompeii,  which  Uncle  Dick  had 
succeeded  in  smuggling  out  in  spite  of  the  vigilance 
of  the  guard.  In  short,  the  cabin  was  a  perfect 
curiosity  shop,  and  was  a  never-failing  source  of 
amusement  and  instruction  to  the  boys  who  were 
permitted  to  enter  it,  for  at  every  visit  they  found 
something  new  to  admire  and  wonder  at.  The 
Sportsman's  Club  regarded  the  room  as  their 
headquarters.  They  visited  it  almost  every  night 
to  listen  to  the  old  sailor's  stories ;  and  that  was  a 
privilege  they  prized  highly,  for  it  was  one  that 
Uncle  Dick  granted  to  none  except  his  nephews 
and  their  most  intimate  friends. 


24  TUE  sportsman's  club 


CHArTER  11. 

A   MIDNIGHT   ALARM. 

TTNCLE  DICK  GAYLORD  was  a  bluff,  hearty 
old  fellow,  a  sailor  on  the  face  of  him ;  no  one 
ever  took  him  for  anything  else.  Walter  and  Eu- 
gene thought  he  was  nice  to  have  in  the  house — he 
was  so  good-natured  and  obliging,  and  was  always  in 
Buch  excellent  spirits.  And  then,  what  a  laugh  he 
had  !  It  was  none  of  your  tittering,  affected  laughs, 
but  a  jolly,  heartfelt  roar  of  merriment  that  fairly 
shook  the  rafters,  and  made  everybody  else  laugh  to 
hear  it.  He  was  a  man  a  little  below  the  medium 
height,  with  very  broad  shoulders  and  muscles  like 
a  gold-beater's.  He  always  wore  an  immense  neck- 
tie and  collar,  and  when  he  walked  he  rolled  about 
like  a  skiff  in  a  gale  of  wind.  He  applied  sea 
phrases  to  everything,  and  had  so  funny  a  way  of 
talking  and  acting  that  he  kept  the  boys'  jaws  and 
sides  aching  continually.  One  thing  he  did  was 
long  remembered  by  every  one  of  the  family. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  25 

It  was  midwinter  when  he  came  home  .from  his 
last  voyage,  and  had  his  cabin  fitted  up,  and  the 
first  night  he  slept  in  it  a  furious  storm  arose.  It 
was  terribly  cold,  and  old  Mrs.  Gaylord,  Uncle 
Dick's  mother  (with  the  maternal  instinct  still 
strong  within  her),  thought  of  her  son  away  up  in 
the  top  of  the  building,  and  wondered  if  he  did  not 
need  tucking  up  in  bed.  She  seemed  to  forget  that 
long  years  had  passed  since  she  had  packed  him 
away  in  his  crib  and  knelt  at  his  side  while  he 
whispered  "  Our  Father,"  and  that  during  those 
years  her  little  helpless  Dick  had  grown  into  a 
bold,  resolute  man,  had  roamed  in  every  climate 
under  the  sun,  and  faced  death  in  a  thousand  terri- 
ble shapes.  The  mother  forgot  all  this.  To  her 
the  hearty  old  sea-dog  was  still  her  little  Dick,  and 
needed  looking  after.  Heedless  of  the  storm,  she 
found  her  way  to  the  top  of  the  house  and  into  the 
sailor's  quarters ;  and  after  putting  extra  clothing 
on  the  bed,  she  wrapped  the  quilts  around  his  feet 
and  tucked  the  edges  into  the  bunk,  to  keep  them 
from  falling  off"  on  the  floor — the  weary  mariner 
snoring  terrifically  during  the  whole  proce-eding. 
When  she  went  out  she  left  a  lighted  lamp  on  the 
table,  thinking  that  perhaps  he  might  want  some- 


26  THE  sportsman's  club 

thing  during  the  niglit,  and  that  he  could  not  find 
it  conveniently  in  the  dark. 

Shortly  after  Mrs.  Gaylord  left  the  room,  Uncle 
Dick  awoke  with  a  start,  and  with  one  furious  kick 
and  an  impatient  sweep  of  his  arm,  undid  all  the 
work  his  thouo;htful  mother  had  been  so  lono;  in 
performing.  He  saw  and  heard  something  at  the 
same  moment.  He  saw  the  lamp  on  the  table  and 
heard  the  howling  of  the  storm.  He  had  spent 
four  years  on  his  last  voyage,  and  having  slept  but 
three  nights  on  shore,  it  was  natural  that  he  should 
imagine  himself  still  on  board  his  vessel.  He  was 
out  on  the  floor  in  an  instant. 

^'  Steward !"  he  yelled,  with  all  the  power  of  his 
stentorian  voice,  "haven't  I  told  you  more  than 
once  never  to  leave  a  lighted  lamp  about  the  ship  ? 
The  first  thing  you  know  we'll  be  in  flames.  If  you 
do  it  again  I'll  put  you  in  irons  !" 

With  one  vigorous  blast  from  his  capacious  chest 
Uncle  Dick  extinguished  the  light,  and  just  then  a 
fierce  gust  of  wind  swept  over  the  house,  shaking 
the  windows,  and  fairly  making  the  solid  stone  walls 
tremble.  This  gave  Uncle  Dick  additional  cause 
for  alarm.  Here  was  a  gale  on  ;  the  ship,  no  doubt, 
was  in  great  danger,  and  the  ofiiccr  of  the  watch 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  27 

Lai  not  been  below  to  awaken  bim.  He  saw  tbe  ne- 
cessity of  prompt  action.  Jerking  open  tbe  door, 
be  ran  tbrougb  tbe  cabin  and  sprang  up  tbe  com- 
panion-ladder. Wben  be  bad  ascended  about  balf 
way  to  tbe  top  be  missed  bis  footing  in  tbe  dark- 
ness and  fell  beadlong  to  tbe  floor.  Tbe  old  sailor 
bad  but  one  explanation  for  tbis  accident,  and  tbat 
was  tbat  tbe  sbip  bad  been  tbrown  on  ber  beam- 
ends.  He  was  on  bis  feet  again  in  a  moment,  and 
once  more  ran  up  tbe  ladder,  sbouting  lustily  for 
bis  mates : 

"  Mr.  Jefferson  !  Mr.  Cross  !"  be  yelled.  "  Wbere 
is  everybody  ?  We'll  be  a  wreck  in  five  minutes,  and 
tbe  last  man  on  board  seems  to  be  asleep  !" 

Higbly  indignant  at  tbe  gross  negligence  of  bis 
officers,  Uncle  Dick  groped  bis  way  witb  eager  baste 
to  tbe  top  of  tbe  ladder,  tbrew  open  tbe  door  and 
sprang  out  upon  tbe  roof;  but  bear  in  mind,  reader, 
tbat  be  did  not  know  tbat  be  was  on  tbe  top  of  bis 
brotber's  bouse.  He  was  not  fairly  awake  yet, 
and  be  tbougbt  be  was  at  sea  and  on  board  bis 
vessel. 

Having  gained  tbe  roof.  Uncle  Dick  stood  for  an 
instant  aj  palled  at  tbe  scene  presented  to  bis  gaze. 
A  furious  gale  was  raging,  tbe  air  was  filled  witb 


28  THE  sportsman's  club 

snow  anl  sleet,  and  the  old  sailor  felt  the  full  force 
and  severity  of  the  tempest  in  his  exposed  position, 
having  been  in  too  great  a  hurry  even  to  put  on  his 
hat  before  he  left  his  state-room.  He  looked  all 
around  for  his  crew,  who  ought  to  have  been  on 
deck  attending  to  things,  but  could  not  see  a  single 
man.  He  saw  something  else,  however,  and  that 
was  a  range  of  high  hills  about  a  mile  distant  from 
the  house — a  famous  place  for  squirrels  and  quails, 
and  one  of  the  favorite  huntino:-o;rounds  of  his 
nephews ;  but  the  sailor  thought  they  were  the 
headlands'  of  an  unfriendly  shore  upon  which  his 
ship  was  about  to  be  cast  away. 

"  I've  sailed  the  blue  water  for  thirty  years  with- 
out losing  a  single  vessel,"  said  Uncle  Dick,  with  a 
groan,  "and  now  I  am  going  to  be  wrecked  at  last. 
I  can  hear  the  breakers  already.  Helm  hard 
a-starboard  !  Mr.  Cross,  call  all  hands.  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son, stand  by  to  put  the  ship  about  I" 

Uncle  Dick  shouted 'out  these  orders  with  an 
earnestness  which  showed  that  he  was  fully  alive  to 
the  dangers  of  the  situation ;  but,  to  his  great 
amazement,  he  did  not  hear  the  accustomed  re- 
sponses, and  neither  did  he  see  the  faithful  crew 
tumbling  up  from  below  to  execute  his  commands 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  29 

Tie  was  fairly  awake  now,  and  a  vague  idea  that 
things  did  not  look  natural  began  to  creep  into  his 
mind.  He  glanced  at  the  hills,  toward  the  place 
where  the  man  at  the  wheel  ought  to  have  been,  at 
the  tall  elms  which  lifted  their  swaying,  leafless 
branches  above  his  head,  and  then  turned  and  dived 
down  the  companion-ladder.  He  found  his  way  to 
his  state-room,  and  after  brushing  off  some  of  the 
snow  which  clung  to  him,  he  tumbled  into  his  bunk 
and  settled  himself  snugly  between  the  sheets.  For 
five  minutes  all  was  still;  and  then  a  roar  of  laugh- 
ter that  was  plainly  heard  above  the  noise  of  the 
storm,  rang  through  the  state-room. 

*'  I've  done  some  queer  things  in  my  life,"  said 
the  sailor,  as  if  addressing  some  one  near  him,  "but 
that  was  the  first  time  I  ever  ordered  my  mate  to 
stand  by  to  put  a  stone  house  about.'* 

Uncle  Dick  had  a  keen  sense  of  the  ludicrous, 
and  considering  the  story  as  altogether  too  good  to 
be  kept  to  himself,  he  told  it  to  the  family  the  next 
morning ;  and  a  merrier  breakfast  party  than  that 
which  gathered  around  Mr.  Gaylord's  table  was 
never  seen  anywhere.  The  members  of  the  house- 
hold were  kept  in  a  broad  grin  for  S3veral  days 


30  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

afterward,  and  even  now  tlie  old  sailor  would  roar 
out  lieartilj  whenever  he  thought  of  it. 

This  was  but  one  of  the  many  laughable  incidents, 
of  which  Uncle  Dick  was  the  hero,  that  happened  in 
the  mansion  during  the  year ;  but  if  we  should  stop 
to  relate  them,  we  should  never  begin  the  story  of 
the  Sportsman's  Club's  adventures. 

Walker's  room  and  Eugene's  was  in  the  second 
story  of  the  house.  It  was  a  large,  cheerful  apart- 
ment, nicely  furnished,  and  contained  three  beds — 
enough  to  accommodate  all  the  members  of  the  Club. 
Any  one  who  had  taken  a  single  glance  at  the  room, 
would  have  gained  a  pretty  good  idea  of  the  tastes 
and  habits  of  its  young  masters.  The  walls  were 
adorned  w^ith  pictures  of  hunting  scenes,  regattas 
and  boat-races,  and  with  flags,  pennants  and  tro- 
phies of  the  chase.  In  one  corner  stood  a  book- 
case containing  a  fine  library ;  in  another  were  de- 
posited several  pairs  of  Indian  clubs  and  dumb-bells ; 
and  a  third  seemed  to  be  used  as  an  armory,  for  it 
was  filled  with  rifles  and  shot-guns  of  all  sizes  and 
lengths,  each  weapon  enclosed  in  a  case  of  strong 
cloth,  to  protect  it  from  the  dust.  Occupying  a 
prominent  place  over  the  mantel  was  the  flag  w^hich 
had  been  the  cause  of  so  much  hard  feeling  on  the 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  31 

part  of  Bayard  Bell.  It  was  made  of  blue  silk,  and 
in  its  centre  bore  the  word  "  Champion  !  '  in  gold 
letters.  It  was  the  handiwork  of  Emma  Bell  and 
some  of  her  friends,  and  had  been  made  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Bayard,  who  declared  that  he  and  his 
men  could  pull  much  faster  if  they  had  something 
besides  the  championship  to  work  for.  Lucy 
Conklin,  the  pretty  cousin  of  one  of  Bayard's  crew, 
was  selected  to  present  the  flag  to  the  winning 
boat.  She  expected  to  have  the  pleasure  of  giving 
it  to  Bayard,  who  was  her  favorite;  and  when 
Walter  Gaylord,  with  his  cap  in  his  hand,  and  his 
handsome  face  flushed  with  exercise  and  triumph, 
stepped  upon  the  tug  where  she  was  standing,  and 
approached  to  receive  the  colors,  Lucy  was  so  sur- 
prised and  indignant  that  she  forgot  the  neat  little 
speech  she  had  prepared  for  the  occasion,  and 
handed  the  flag  to  the  victor  without  saying  a  word. 
The  Club  thought  a  great  deal  of  that  little  piece 
of  blue  silk,  and  were  determined  to  keep  it. 

It  is  the  night  of  the  first  of  December,  18 — . 
The  boys'  room  is  brilliantly  illuminated  by  four 
large  lamps  suspended  from  the  ceiling,  and  a 
cheerful  wood  fire  is  burning  on  the  hearth,  and 
around  it  is  gathered  a  happy  party  consisting  of 


S2  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

al]  the  members  of  the  Sportsman's  Club.  That 
broad-shouldered,  sturdy-looking  fellow  who  is  sit- 
ting on  one  side  of  the  centre-table  with  a  book  on 
his  knee,  and  talking  to  the  old  negro  who  stands 
with  his  hand  on  the  door-knob,  is  Walter  Gajlord, 
the  President  of  the  Club.  He  and  his  companions 
have  been  discussing  various  plans  for  their  amuse- 
ment, and  having  decided  to  pass  the  next  day  in  hunt- 
ing coons,  Walter  is  issuing  his  orders.  "  You're  sure 
the  weather  will  be  favorable,  are  you,  Sam  ?"  he 
asks. 

"Yes,  sar;  sartin  ob  it,"  replies  the  negro. 
*'It's  snowin'  now,  fast.  It's  boun'  to  snow  all 
night,  and  to-morrow  '11  be  just  de  day  for  tracking 
de  coon." 

*'  Well,  then,  w^e'll  start  as  soon  after  daylight 
as  we  can  get  ready.  We  shall  want  a  warm 
breakfast  before  we  go." 

"Yes,  sar." 

"  And,  Sam,  we  shall  want  something  more  to  eat 
at  noon,  and  we  can't  very  well  carry  it  with  us. 
About  half  past  eleven  put  the  pony  into  the  cart 
and  bring  us  out  a  good  dinner.  Meet  us  in  the 
swamp  at  the  old  bee-tree.  Put  in  plenty  of  sand- 
wiches, for  we  shall  be  hungry.     That's  all,  Sam." 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  33 

The  negro  disappears,  and  Walter  again  picks 
up  his  book,  while  the  rest  of  the  Club  resume  the 
various  occupations  in  which  thej  had  been  engaged, 
and  which  this  conversation  had  interrupted. 

That  curly-headed,  blue-eyed  boy  standing  in 
front  of  the  fire-place,  working,  upon  the  lock  of 
his  rifle,  which  is  out  of  order,  is  Eugene  Gaylord, 
who  has  probably  performed  as  many  exploits,  and 
been  the  hero  of  as  many  school-scrapes,  as  any 
fellow  of  his  age  in  the  country.  He  is  a  small 
edition  of  his  Uncle  Dick,  noisy  and  good-natured, 
und  seems  to  be  literally  brimming  over  with  fun. 

There  are  three  other  members  of  the  Club, 
whom  we  have  not  yet  introduced.  They  are  Phil 
Perkins,  Jasper  Babcock  and  Fred  Craven.  They 
live  in  Bellville,  and  have  come  up  with  their  horses 
and  hounds  to  spend  the  holidays  at  the  Gaylord 
mansion.  The  former  (who  always  answers  to  the 
name  of  "  Perk"),  although  he  is  quick  to  learn 
and  has  always  occupied  a  respectable  position  in 
his  class,  is  not  much  of  a  boy  for  books ;  but  he 
is  quite  at  home  in  studying  up  plans  for  mischief, 
and  can  carry  them  out,  too,  as  well  as  his  friend 
Eugene.  He  is  the  best  gymnast  at  the  Academy, 
and  can  hold  out  a  thirty-five  pound  dumb-bell  in 

0 

3 


34  THE  sportsman's  club 

each  hand.  He  is  a  good  oarsman,  is  fond  of  sail' 
ing,  and  during  the  regattas  always  assists  Walter 
and  Eugene  in  handling  the  Banner.  Jasper  Bab- 
cock  (commonly  called  "Bab")  has  more  than  once 
demonstrated  his  ability  to  beat  any  boy  at  the 
Academy  in  pulling  a  single-scull  race,  and  can 
boast  that  he  owns  the  swiftest  yacht  about  Bell- 
ville.  Another  accomplishment  in  which  he  can- 
not be  beaten  is  in  making  a  standing  high  jump. 
He  can  place  a  pole  at  the  height  of  his  chin  from 
the  ground,  and  spring  over  it  with  the  greatest 
ease,  alighting  on  the  other  side  like  a  fallen 
feather.  These  tw^o  boys  are  sitting  with  a  board 
between  them,  engaged  in  a  game  of  backgammon. 
They  are  both  experts  and  rivals ;  and  although 
they  have  been  playing  for  years — almost  ever 
since  they  first  became  acquainted — the  question 
of  superiority  is  not  yet  decided. 

Fred  Craven,  the  coxswain  of  the  Spray,  and 
secretary  of  the  Sportsman's  Club,  is  a  year  older 
than  Walter  and  scarcely  more  than  half  as  large. 
He  is  a  jolly  little  fellow,  a  great  favorite  with 
everybody,  except  Bayard  Bell  and  his  crowd, 
and  always  answers  to  the  name  of  "Feather- 
weight."    He  is  a  good  bat  and  short-stop,  sails 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  35 

his  own  yacht,  is  Vice  Commodore  of  the  Academy 
Bquadron,  and  his  record  as  a  student  is  excellent. 
No  one  ever  suspects  him  of  being  in  a  scrape,  and 
his  influence  goes  a  long  way  toward  keeping  such 
wild  fellows  as  Perk  and  Eugene  within  bounds. 
He  now  sits  poring  over  his  Yirgil,  and,  like  "Wal- 
ter, is  so  deeply  interested  in  his  book  that  he  does 
not  hear  the  rattle  of  the  checkers  or  the  conversa- 
tion kept  up  by  the  other  members  of  the  Club. 

There  is  another  occupant  of  the  room  that  we 
must  not  forget  to  speak  of,  for  he  bears  a  some- 
what important  part  in  our  story.  It  is  Rex,  the 
Irish  greyhound  which  lies  stretched  out  on  the 
rug  in  front  of  the  fire.  The  dog  always  sleeps 
in  the  same  apartment  with  Walter,  who  is  the  only 
one  he  acknowledges  as  his  master,  and  whom  he 
accompanies  wherever  he  goes.  He  does  other 
things,  too,  that  we  shall  tell  of  by  and  by. 

The  hours  fly  rapidly  when  one  is  agreeably  em 
ployed,  and  it  was  ten  o'clock  before  the  boys 
knew  it.  Long  before  that  time  Eugene  had  finished 
repairing  his  rifle  and  getting  all  his  accoutre- 
ments ready  for  the  hunt  on  the  morrow,  and  after 
trying  difl'erent  plans  for  his  amusement,  such  as 
reading,  watching  the  game  of  backgammon,  and 


SQ  THE  sportsman's  club 

teasing  Rex,  he  picked  up  his  flute.  lie  was  a 
good  performer,  and  when  he  confined  himself  to 
music,  the  Club  never  grew  tired  of  listening  tc 
him ;  but  on  this  occasion,  being  possessed  with  his 
usual  spirit  of  mischief,  he  imitated  the  squealing 
of  pigs,  the  cackling  of  hens,  the  creaking  of 
wagons,  and  produced  other  doleful  sounds  that 
were  enough  to  drive  one  distracted.  Walter  en- 
dured it,  and  so  did  Perk  and  Bab.  The  former, 
with  his  feet  stretched  out  straight  before  him,  his 
chin  resting  on  his  breast,  his  eyebrows  elevated, 
and  both  hands  tightly  clasping  his  book,  read  on 
all  unmindful  of  what  was  going  on  around  him, 
and  the  others  rattled  their  pieces  and  talked  and 
played  without  paying  any  heed  to  the  noise;  but 
the  nervous  little  Featherweight,  finding  it  impos- 
sible to  construe  his  Latin  with  such  a  din  ringing 
in  his  ears,  raised  a  cry  of  remonstrance. 

"  I  say  !  Hold  on  there  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  What 
will  you  take  to  leave  off  torturing  that  flute  and 
go  to  bed?" 

"  Well,  Featherweight,  seeing  it's  you,  I  won't 
charge  anything,"  replied  Eugene.  ''I  have  been 
thinking  that  we  had  all  better  go  to  bed  if  we 
intend  f o  get  up  at  daylight.     I'll  stop.     1 11  go 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  37 

down  and  wind  up  Walter's  alarm-clock,  and  then 
I'll  oome  back  and  court  the  embrace  of  '  tired 
Nature's  sweet  restorer,  balmy  sleep.'  " 

"H'm!  Shakespeare!"  exclaimed  Perk. 

"Young,"  corrected  Walter,  laying  down  his 
book. 

"Pat  him  on  the  back,  somebody,"  suggested 
Bab. 

"  Don't  do  it.  Put  him  out  of  doors,"  said 
Featherweight.  "  He  has  violated  the  rules  of  the 
Club  by  quoting  poetry." 

Amid  a  volley  of  such  exclamations  as  these  Eu- 
gene left  the  room  and  went  out  to  wind  up  his 
brother's  alarm-clock.  Now,  the  only  alarm-clock 
that  Walter  possessed  was  his  white  horse  (Tom,  ho 
called  him),  and  the  way  to  "wind  him  up"  was  to 
turn  him  loose  in  the  yard.  He  would  stay  around 
the  house  all  night,  and  at  the  first  peep  of  day 
take  his  stand  under  his  master's  window  and  arouse 
him  by  his  neighing.  How  he  got  into  the  habit, 
or  how  he  found  out  which  was  his  window,  Walter 
did  not  know.  There  were  half  a  dozen  windows 
on  that  side  of  the  house,  but  the  horse  never  made 
a  mistake.  A\id  there  was  no  use  in  trying  to 
sleep  when  Tom  wanted   him  to  get  up;   for  he 


38  THE  sportsman's  club 

would  keep  on  repeating  his  calls  until  some  one 
answered  them.  In  some  respects  he  was  better 
than  an  alarm-clock. 

In  half  an  hour  the  Club  were  in  bed  and  fast 
asleep — all  except  Perk  and  Bab,  who  still  played 
away  as  desperately  as  ever.  Perk  came  out  win- 
ner at  last,  but  he  was  a  long  time  in  doing  it,  and 
it  was  twelve  o'clock  before  they  were  ready  to 
retire.  While  they  were  undressing  Tom  began 
galloping  frantically  about  the  yard  (he  was  as 
watchful  as  any  dog  the  boys  bad  ever  seen),  and 
a  moment' afterward  one  of  the  hounds  set  up  a  dis- 
mal howl.  This  was  answered  by  every  dog  on 
the  plantation ;  and  then  arose  a  chorus  of  whines 
and  bays  and  growls  that  would  have  done  credit 
to  a  small  menagerie.  While  Perk  and  Bab  stood 
looking  at  each  other,  a  door  opened  and  closed 
below,  a  heavy  step  sounded  in  the  hall,  and  Mr. 
Gaylord's  voice  rang  out  above  the  tumult. 

"Hi!  hi!"  he  shouted.  "Hunt  him  up,  fel- 
lows  !     Take  hold  of  him  !" 

Rex  jumped  to  his  feet  and  barked  furiously,  and 
this  aroused  the  slumbering  members  of  the  Club, 
who  were  out  on  the  floor  in  an  instant.     They  did 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  89 

not  ask  what  the  matter  was,  for  they  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  guessing  at  the  cause  of  the  disturbance. 

"Bear!"  shouted  Featherweight. 

"Deer  !"  exclaimed  Eugene. 

"  Who  knows  but  it's  a  panther?"  said  Perk. 

"  We'll  find  out  what  it  is  before  we  go  to  bed 
ajzain,"  said  Walter.  "  The  doo^s  are  close  at  his 
heels,  are  they  not?"  he  added,  as  the  slow,  mea- 
sured baying  of  the  hounds  changed  to  a  sharp  im- 
patient yelp.  "  Hurry  up,  fellows,  or  we  shall 
miss  all  the  fun." 

These  midnight  alarms  were  not  new  chapters  in 
the  experience  of  the  Club.  Wild  animals  were 
abundant,  and  it  was  by  no  means  an  uncommon 
occurrence  for  the  dogs  to  discover  a  bear  or  wild- 
cat prowling  about  the  plantation  during  the  night. 
Indeed,  the  boys  had  seen  bears  pass  through  the 
cornfield  in  the  day-time  ;  and  a  few  weeks  pre- 
vious to  the  commencement  of  our  story,  Walter 
and  Eugene  stood  on  the  back  porch  of  the  house, 
and  fired  their  guns  at  a  deer  that  was  feeding  at 
one  of  the  fodder  stacks. 

The  boys  hurried  on  their  clothes  without  loss 
of  time,  and  catching  up  their  guns  and  throwing 
their    powder-flasks    and   shot-pouches    over    their 


40  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

shoulders,  ran  down  the  stairs  and  out  of  the 
house.  On  the  porch  they  met  Mr.  Gaylord,  who 
turned  and  gave  them  an  approving  nod. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  asked  all  the  boys  in  a  breath. 

"  0,  a  bear,  I  suppose,"  replied  the  gentleman. 
"  The  dogs  have  treed  him,  and  if  you  want  a  little 
sport,  we'll  go  down  and  take  a  look  at  him." 

There  are  not  many  boys  in  the  world  who  would 
be  willing  to  go  to  bed  when  they  knew  that  a  bear 
had  been  treed  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  them. 
Our  heroes  were  not,  by  any  means.  If  they 
could  remain  up  all  night  for  the  purpose  of  cap- 
turing a  coon,  as  they  had  done  many  a  time,  they 
could  certainly  afford  to  lose  an  hour's  sleep  when 
they  had  a  prospect  of  trying  their  skill  on  larger 
and  more  valuable  game.  Mr.  Gaylord  went  into 
the  house  after  his  rifle ;  Eugene  ran  to  the  kitchen 
to  bring  a  fire-brand ;  Walter  hurried  off  in  search 
of  a  couple  of  axes ;  and  the  rest  of  the  club 
busied  themselves  in  gathering  a  supply  of  dry 
chips  with  which  to  kindle  a  fire.  In  a  few  min- 
utes Mr.  Gaylord  came  out  again,  but  he  moved 
much  too  slowly  and  deliberately  to  suit  the  impa- 
tient boys,  who  set  out  for  the  woods  at  a  rapid 
run,  leaving  him  to  follow   at   his  leisure.     They 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  41 

found  the  dogs — probably  a  score  of  them  in  all — • 
gathered  about  a  tall  oak  that  grew  just  outside  the 
cotton-field.  Some  of  the  experienced  ones,  like 
Rex,  sat  at  a  little  distance  and  looked  steadily  up 
into  the  branches ;  while  the  younger  ones  made 
desperate  attempts  to  run  up  the  tree,  and  failing 
in  that,  fell  to  fighting  among  themselves.  A  few 
harshly  spoken  words,  and  a  flourish  or  two  w^ith 
the  switch  Eugene  carried  in  his  hand,  brought 
order  out  of  the  confusion,  and  put  a  stop  to  the 
barking  and  quarrelling. 

The  first  business  was  to  kindle  a  fire  :  and  by 
the  time  this  had  been  done  Mr.  Gaylord  came  up. 
The  fire  cracked  away  merrily,  the  flames  arose 
higher  and  higher,  and  presently  threw  out  so 
bright  a  light  that  the  hunters  could  discern  the 
outlines  of  some  dark  object  crouching  in  the  top 
of  the  tree.  The  boys  yelled  like  young  savages 
at  the  discovery,  and  Perk,  who  carried  a  long, 
heavy  deer-gun  of  wonderful  range  and  accuracy, 
requested  his  companions  to  stand  back  and  see 
how  nicely  he  could  lift  him  out  of  the  tree  at  the 
first  shot. 

"  Don't  be  in  a  hurry,  boys  !"  said  Mr.  Gaylord. 
"  Let  me  have  a  good  view  of  him  before  you  shoot. 


42  THE  spohtsman's  club 

There's  S)metliing  about  him  that  looks  sus- 
picious." 

"  I  was  just  thinking  so  myself,"  exclaimed 
Featherweight,  and  his  voice  trembled  a  little  with 
excitement.  "  He  keeps  too  still  for  a  bear,  and 
when  the  fire  blazes  up  so  that  I  can  see  him  quite 
plainly,  I  can  make  out  a  long,  slim  body.  If 
I  know  anything,  it  is  a  panther." 

A  panther  !  The  boys  repeated  the  word  in  tones 
of  excitement,  cocked  their  guns  rather  hurriedly, 
and  their  fingers  trembled  as  they  rested  on  the 
triggers.  Mr.  Gaylord  walked  around  the  tree, 
looking  at  the  animal  from  different  positions,  and 
several  times  raised  his  rifle  as  if  he  were  about  to 
shoot.  Finally  he  announced  that  they  had  cer- 
tainly treed  a  panther,  adding  that  he  was  so  effect- 
ually protected  by  the  branches  that  it  would  be  a 
waste  of  ammunition  to  fire  at  him.  They  must 
cut  the  tree  down. 

This  decision  had  no  sooner  been  rendered,  than 
the  hunters  proceeded  to  act  upon  it.  Walter  and 
Bab  pulled  off  their  coats,  and  stationing  them- 
selves on  opposite  sides  of  the  tree  went  manfully 
to  work,  whi^e  the  others  stood  around  with  their 
guns  in  their  hands,  keeping  their  eyes  fastened  on 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  43 

the  game,  and  ready  to  take  the  place  of  the  chop- 
pers as  soon  as  the  latter  grew  tired.  They  were 
all  intensely  excited — they  could  not  be  otherwise, 
standing  as  they  were  under  a  tree  containing  a 
panther,  and  knowing  that  he  could  come  down 
from  his  perch  and  make  short  work  with  them  at 
any  moment.  They  all  thought  of  the  danger,  but 
there  was  not  one  among  them  who  had  any  idea 
of  standing  back  and  allowing  the  others  to  do  all 
the  work  and  gain  all  the  applause.  A  panther 
was  something  worth  killing  in  those  days.  Aside 
from  the  honor,  there  was  money  to  be  made  by  it, 
for  the  authorities  of  the  parish  paid  twenty-five 
dollars  for  the  scalp  of  every  one  of  these  animals 
that  was  killed  within  its  limits. 

The  choppers  were  at  work  upon  the  tree  fully 
twenty  minutes,  and  during  all  this  time  the  pan- 
ther sat  upon  his  perch  glaring  down  at  his  foes, 
and  never  once  changing  his  position.  But  as  the 
top  of  the  oak  began  to  waver  he  looked  about  him 
uneasily,  and  when  a  loud  crack  announced  that  it 
was  about  to  fall,  he  started  up  and  gathered  him- 
Belf  for  a  spring. 

"  Shoot  away,  boys  !"  cried  Mr.  Gaylord  ;  "he's 


44  THE  sportsman's  club 

going  to  run.     If  we  allow  him  to  reach  the  woods 
we  shall  lose  him." 

Six  guns  cracked  in  quick  succession,  and  bullets 
and  buckshot  rattled  through  the  top  of  the  oak, 
bringing  twigs  and  dead  leaves  down  in  a  perfect 
shower.  But  if  any  of  the  missiles  struck  the  pan- 
ther they  failed  to  reach  a  vital  part,  for  the 
animal  sprang  into  the  air  with  all  the  ease  and  ' 
agility  of  a  squirrel,  and  alighting  among  the 
branches  of  a  tall  hickory  fully  twenty  feet  distant, 
quickly  disappeared  from  sight.  While  the  hun- 
ters stood  looking  at  him  the  oak  came  down  with 
a  crash,  and  in  an  instant  the  dogs  were  tumbling 
about  among  the  branches,  searching  everywhere 
for  the  game,  and  seemingly  very  much  astonished 
at  not  finding  him. 

"  The  fun  is  over  for  to-night,  boys,"  said  Mr. 
Gaylord,  who  being  an  old  sportsman  took  matters 
very  coolly.  "  We'll  go  to  bed  now,  and  in  the 
morning  we'll  put  the  dogs  on  his  trail  and  follow 
him  up  and  finish  him." 

The    Club  exchanged  significant  glances   when 
they  heard  this  ;  but  said  nothing  until  they  reached 
the  house,  and  then  they  stopped  to  hold  a  consul 
tation. 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  45 


CHAPTER  III. 

BAYARD  BELL  AND  HIS  CROWD. 

ri^HE  members  of  the  Club  bad  one  and  all  made 
up  tbeir  minds  that  the  panther  should  be 
killed  in  the  morning  if  he  could  be  found,  and 
they  had  resolved,  too,  that  Mr.  Gaylord  and  Uncle 
Dick  should  have  no  hand  in  the  business.  They 
had  won  glory  enough  already.  Mr.  Gaylord  had 
lived  in  the  country  from  early  boyhood,  and  had 
trapped  and  shot  scores  of  panthers,  while  Uncle 
Dick  had  more  than  once  tried  his  skill  on  lions, 
tigers  and  elephants.  The  Club,  however,  could 
not  boast  of  any  such  exploits.  They  had  shot 
any  number  of  turkeys,  had  eaten  many  a  dinner 
of  venison  that  they  had  brought  home  from  the 
woods,  and  had  been  in  at  the  death  of  more  than 
one  bear ;  but  not  one  of  them,  before  that  night, 
had  even  levelled  his  gun  at  a  panther.  Now  they 
had  a  capital  opportunity  to  exhibit  themselves, 
and  they  were  determined  to  show  the  old  Nimrods 


iQ  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

in  the  village  that  some  folks  3ould  do  things  as 
well  as  others. 

*'  We'll  never  have  another  chance  like  this,'* 
whispered  Bab,  excitedly,  "  and  we  must  improve 
it.  I  know  that  panther  has  some  of  our  bullets 
in  him,  and  that  he  can't  travel  far  to-night.  Go 
and  put  your  alarm-clock  in  the  stable,  Walter." 

"  What  for  ?  Don't  we  want  to  get  up  early  in 
the  morning  ?" 

"  Certainly.  But  if  the  horse  awakens  us  by 
neighing  under  our  window,  won't  he  arouse  your 
father  and  Uncle  Dick  also?  If  they  know  when 
we  go  out  they  will  want  to  go  with  us,  and  that 
will  knock  all  our  fun  in  the  head.  Trust  me — I 
will  have  you  out  of  bed  at  four  o'clock." 

Walter  whistled  for  his  horse,  and  the  rest  of  tho 
Club  went  up  stairs.  Tom  followed  his  master  to 
the  barn  like  a  dog,  and  after  Walter  had  put  him 
in  his  stall,  he  returned  to  his  room  and  tumbled 
into  bed.  He  did  not  intend  to  go  to  sleep  at  all 
that  night,  but  before  he  knew  it  he  was  dreaming 
of  panthers,  wild-cats,  and  all  sorts  of  savage  ani- 
mals. It  seemed  to  him  that  he  had  scarcely 
closed  his  eyes  when  some  one  seized  him  by  the 
shoulder.     He  glanced  at  the  clock  and  saw  that 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  47 

Bab  had  been  true  to  his  promise,  for  the  hands 
pointed  to  five  minutes  past  four.  While  the  boys 
were  dressing  thej  stepped  about  the  room  very 
carefully,  for  fear  of  awaking  Mr.  Gaylord,  who 
always  slept  with  one  eye  and  both  ears  open ;  and 
taking  their  boots  in  their  hands  they  crept  cau- 
tiously down  the  stairs,  followed  by  Rex,  who  seemed 
to  know  what  was  going  on  and  to  understand  the 
necessity  of  making  as  little  noise  as  possible.  As 
they  stepped  upon  the  porch  their  hounds  came  up ; 
and  if  some  one  had  told  them  what  their  masters' 
arrangements  were,  and  why  they  were  leaving  the 
house  in  so  stealthy  a  manner,  they  could  not  have 
behaved  more  sensibly. 

It  did  not  take  them  long  to  walk  to  the  barn 
and  saddle  their  horses ;  and  in  ten  minutes  more 
they  were  sitting  around  the  fire,  which  was  still 
burning  brightly  near  the  stump  of  the  oak,  com- 
paring notes  and  waiting  impatiently  for  daylight. 
It  came  at  last,  and  as  soon  as  they  could  see  to 
ride  through  the  woods,  they  led  their  hounds  to 
the  tree  and  showed  them  the  limb  on  which  the 
panther  had  been  sitting.  They  did  this  so  that 
the  dogs  might  know  what  game  they  were  expected 
to  follow.     If   their  masters   had    simply  ordered 


4:8  THE  sportsman's  club 

them  into  the  woods,  they  would  have  opened  on 
the  first  trail  they  found,  and  it  might  have  been 
that  of  a  rabbit  or  coon.  But  now  they  understood 
that  the  boys  wanted  them  to  follow  the  panther ; 
and  they  were  so  well  trained  that  if  a  bear  or  deer 
had  run  through  the  woods  in  plain  sight,  they 
would  not  have  paid  the  least  attention  to  it.  They 
smelt  at  the  limb  and  began  circling  about  the  tree 
in  search  of  the  trail.  They  worked  faithfully  for 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  then  a  long,  deep-toned 
bay  echoed  through  the  woods,  telling  the  young 
hunters  that  their  efforts  had  been  successful. 

"  Hurrah  !"  shouted  Eugene.  "  To  horse,  my 
brave  boys,  and  away !  Hi !  hi !  Hunt  'em  up, 
there  !" 

If  you  have  never  followed  the  hounds  we  cannot 
convey  to  you  even  the  slightest  idea  of  the  melody 
that  filled  the  forest  when  that  pack  of  high-flyers 
opened  in  full  chorus  on  the  trail,  or  the  excitement 
that  thrilled  the  hunters  as  they  flew  over  the 
ground,  leaping  fences,  ditches  and  logs,  each  boy 
urging  his  horse  forward  at  the  top  of  his  speed, 
in  the  hope  of  distancing  his  companions,  and  being 
the  first  to  come  up  with  the  hounds  when  they 
brought  the  panther  to  bay.     Walter's  nag  took 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  49 

the  lead  at  once,  and  with  a  few  of  his  long  bounds 
brought  his  rider  to  the  place  where  the  dogs  had 
struck  the  trail.  He  saw  the  prints  of  the  pan- 
ther's great  feet  in  the  snow,  and  every  track  was 
marked  with  blood. 

"  The  chase  will  not  be  a  long  one,'*  exclaimed 
Featherweight,  dashing  up  beside  Walter  and  rein- 
ing in  his  horse  for  a  moment  to  glance  at  the 
trail,  "  for  he  is  too  badly  wounded  to  travel  far. 
Now,  every  man  for  himself,  and  three  cheers  and 
a  tiger  for  the  winner." 

Once  more  the  boys  put  spurs  to  their  horses  and 
went  galloping  through  the  woods  at  break-neck 
speed. 

If  you  have  ever  ridden  with  experienced  hunt- 
ers, you  will,  perhaps,  have  some  idea  of  tho 
manner  in  which  Walter  and  his  party  intended  to 
conduct  the  chase ;  if  you  have  not,  a  word  of  ex- 
planation may  be  necessary.  To  begin  with,  they 
had  no  intention  of  following  directly  after  the 
dogs,  or  attempting  to  keep  up  with  them,  for  that 
would  have  been  useless.  They  settled  it  in  their 
minds  beforehand  which  point  in  the  woods  the 
game  would  run  for,  and  then  ''  cut  across  lots," 
and  tried  to  reach  that  point  before  him. 
4  -' 


60  THE  sportsman's  club 

Wild  animals  have  ways  and  hubits  ot  their  own 
that  a  man  who  has  often  hunted  them  understands. 
If  he  knows  the  country  he  can  tell  within  fifty 
yards  where  a  deer  or  a  bear  will  run  when  pursued 
by  the  dogs,  and  each  of  the  Club  thought  he  knew 
just  the  place  the  panther  w^ould  make  for  when 
their  hounds  opened  on  his  trail.  While  they  were 
sitting  beside  the  fire  waiting  for  daylight,  Eugene 
said  that  if  the  trail  ran  toward  the  swamps,  he 
would  ride  for  a  certain  ford  in  the  bayou.  That 
was  the  point  at  which  deer  always  crossed  in  going 
to  and  from  the  swamp,  and  he  thought  it  very 
probable  that  the  panther  would  cross  there  also. 
Walter  did  not  agree  with  his  brother,  and  intended 
to  look  elsewhere  for  the  game.  There  was  a  huge 
poplar  tree  about  two  miles  from  the  plantation, 
that  went  by  the  name  of  "  the  panther's  den  ;" 
and  he  was  sure  he  would  find  him  there.  Feather- 
weight thought  the  animal  would  make  the  best  of 
his  way  to  a  certain  canebrake  where  Uncle  Dick 
had  killed  three  or  panthers  during  the  previous 
winter,  and  the  others  thought  he  would  go  some- 
where else.  In  short,  they  had  all  made  up  their 
minds  what  they  were  going  to  do,  and  each  fellow 
thought  his  place  was  the  best.     They  agreed  that 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  51 

the  first  one  who  discovered  the  panther  should  an- 
nounce the  fact  to  the  others  bj  blowing  four  long 
blasts  on  his  huntincr-horn. 

In  less  than  two  minutes  after  the  hounds  opened 
on  the  trail,  the  hunters  had  scattered  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  each  boy  was  drawing  a  bee-line  for  the 
place  where  he  expected  to  find  the  panther.  For 
a  long  time  Walter  thought  he  was  right  in  his  cal- 
culations, for  the  music  of  the  hounds  told  him 
that  they  were  running  in  the  same  direction  in 
which  he  was  going;  but  presently  the  baying 
began  to  grow  fainter  and  fainter,  and  finally  died 
away  in  the  distance.  Then  Walter  knew  that  he 
was  wrong,  but  still  he  kept  on,  determined  to  visit 
and  examine  the  "  old  panther's  den,"  when  sud- 
denly he  heard  the  notes  of  a  horn  away  off  in  the 
swamp.  He  listened  and  counted  four  long  blasts. 
It  was  Bab's  horn,  and  judging  by  the  way  that 
young  gentleman  rolled  out  the  signals,  he  was 
very  much  excited  about  something.  Walter  faced 
about  at  once,  and,  guided  by  the  music  of  the  horn 
which  continued  to  ring  out  at  short  intervals,  final- 
ly came  within  sight  of  a  dense  brier  thicket  in  the 
lower  end  of  his  father's  cornfield.  There  were 
several  trees  in  the  thicket,  and  the  hounds  wero 


52  THE  sportsman's  club 

running  about  among  them,  gazing  up  into  tlie 
branches  and  baying  loudly.  Bab  was  the  only 
one  of  the  Club  in  sight.  He  sat  on  his  horse  just 
outside  the  fence,  looking  up  at  a  Cottonwood  that 
stood  a  little  apart  from  the  others,  and  following 
the  direction  of  his  gaze,  what  was  Walter's  amaze- 
ment to  see  two  immense  panthers  crouching  among 
the  branches ! 

"  Are  we  not  in  luck  ?"  exclaimed  Bab — "  two 
panther-skins  to  show  as  trophies  of  our  skill,  and 
fifty  dollars  to  put  into  our  pockets  ?  This  is 
grand  sport.  I  never  was  more  excited  in  my 
life." 

Walter  thought  it  very  likely.  He  did  not  see 
how  any  boy  could  possibly  be  more  excited  than 
his  friend  was  at  that  moment.  There  was  not  a 
particle  of  color  in  his  face  ;  his  voice  trembled 
when  he  spoke,  and  the  hand  in  which  he  held  his 
rifle  shook  like  a  leaf. 

"  Humph  !"  said  Walter ;  "  are  you  not  counting 
your  young  poultry  a  little  too  early  in  the  season  ? 
Those  skins,  that  you  intend  to  exhibit  with  so 
much  pride,  are  very  animated  skins  just  now,  and 
the  bone  and  muscle  in  them  may  carry  them  safely 
out  of  our  reach  in  spite  of  all  our  efforts  to  pre* 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  53 

vent  it.  Have  you  never  heard  old  Coulte  talk 
about  panther-hunting?"  (Coulte  was  a  Creole 
who  lived  away  off  in  the  swamp.  He  was  a  fa- 
mous hunter,  and  had  killed  more  panthers,  bears, 
and  deer  than  any  two  other  men  in  the  parish.) 
"He  says,"  continued  Walter,  "that  *  ven  ze 
Frenchman  hunts  ze  paintare  ze  shport  is  fine,  mag- 
nifique ;  but  when  ze  paintare  hunts  the  French- 
man, Ah!  oui!  zare  is  ze  very  mischief  to  pay!' 
Suppose  those  panthers  should  show  a  disposition 
to  jump  down  from  that  tree  and  come  at  us ;  what 
then?" 

"Ah!  oui!"  said  Bab,  with  a  regular  French 
shrug  of  his  shoulders.  "  By  the  time  they 
touched  the  ground  I  would  be  a  long  way  from 
here.  That's  our  fellow,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the 
nearest  panther.  "  I  caught  sight  of  him  just 
now  as  he  was  ascending  the  tree,  and  noticed  that 
be  could  scarcely  raise  his  fore-legs.  He  is  badly 
wounded." 

"  "Where  did  the  other  come  from  ?" 

"  I  don't  know ;  he  was  in  the  tree  when  I  came 
here.  No  doubt  the  dogs  started  him  up  in  the 
Woods,  and  he  ran  with  the  other  to  keep  him.  com- 
pany.    Now,  we  don't  want  to  take  any  unfair  ad- 


54  THE  sportsman's  club 

vantage  of  the  rest  of  the  Club,  and  1  propose  that 
we  wait  until  thej  come  up." 

Of  course  Walter  agreed  to  this — not  simply  for 
the  reason  Bab  had  given,  but  because  he  thought 
it  best  to  have  a  strong  force  at  hand  before  trou- 
bling those  panthers.  The  other  hunters  were  not 
a  great  way  off.  Led  by  the  sound  of  Bab's  horn, 
they  came  up  one  after  the  other;  and  when  Eu- 
gene, who  was  the  last,  made  his  appearance,  they 
gathered  around  Walter  to  hold  a  council  of  war. 
Their  arrangements  were  all  made  in  a  few  minutes, 
and  after  throwing  down  a  portion  of  the  fence, 
they  leaped  their  horses  into  the  corn-field,  and 
rode  toward  the  thicket.  They  surrounded  the 
Cottonwood,  and  at  a  word  from  Walter,  five  guns 
were  pointed  toward  its  branches,  the  sights  cover- 
ing the  wounded  panther's  head. 

"  One — two — three  !"  counted  Walter,  slowly. 

The  guns  belched  forth  their  contents  at  the  same 
instant,  and  through  the  smoke  that  wreathed  above 
their  heads  the  hunters  caught  just  one  glimpse  of 
a  limp,  lifeless  body  falling  to  the  ground.  One 
enemy  was  disposed  of,  and  the  fate  of  the  other 
was  sealed  a  moment  afterward,  for  Perk  fired  the 
second  barrel  of  his  deer-killer,  and  fifteen  buck- 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  55 

shot  found  a  lodgment  in  the  panther's  head.  Two 
more  guns  cracked  while  he  was  falling  through 
the  air,  and  if  he  was  not  dead  w^hen  he  left  the 
branch  on  which  he  had  been  crouching,  he  cer- 
tainly was  before  he  touched  the  ground.  The  work 
was  easily  done,  but  there  was  not  one  of  the  young 
hunters  who  did  not  draw  a  long  breath  of  relief 
when  he  saw  that  it  was  over.  They  knew  that 
panther-hunters  do  not  often  bag  their  game  with 
as  little  trouble  and  danger  as  they  had  in  securing 
theirs. 

^'  Well,  Walter,  we've  done  it  after  all,  haven't 
we?"  exclaimed  Bab,  highly  elated  and  excited. 
*'  Three  cheers  for  the  Sportsman's  Club  one  and 
all !" 

When  the  cheer  had  been  given,  the  boys  dis- 
mounted to  examine  their  prizes.  The  one  they 
had  cut  out  of  the  tree  the  night  before  was  an 
immense  animal  for  one  of  its  species,  and  his  teeth 
and  claws  were  frightful  to  see.  The  other,  al- 
thouf^h  not  nearly  as  large,  was  still  an  ugly-looking 
fellow,  and,  no  doubt,  before  he  received  their  bul- 
lets and  buckshot  in  his  head,  would  have  whipped 
them  all  in  a  fair  fight,  if  he  had  seen  fit  to  descend 
from  his  tree  and  give  them  battle. 


[6  THE    SPORTSMAN  S    CLUB 

"Now,  the  next  thing  to  be  done/'  said  Eugene, 
"  is  to  go  to  the  house  for  a  wagon." 

"  One  of  us  can  do  that,"  replied  Walter,  "  and 
the  rest  had  better  stay  here  and  watch  the  game." 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  any  danger  of  their  run- 
ning away  ?"  asked  Perk. 

"  No ;  but  there  may  be  danger  that  some  one 
will  run  away  with  them  if  we  don't  keep  our  eyes 
open,"  returned  Walter,  who  was  gazing  intently 
toward  the  woods.  "  There  are  other  hunters  com- 
ing, if  my  ears  do  not  deceive  me." 

After  listening  a  moment,  the  boys  all  heard  the 
noise  that  had  attracted  Walter's  attention.  It 
was  the  baying  of  hounds.  The  sound  came 
faintly  to  their  ears  at  first,  but  grew  louder  and 
louder  every  moment,  indicating  that  the  chase  was 
tending  toward  the  corn-field. 

"Now  isn't  that  provoking?"  cried  Eugene. 
"Pull  ofi*  your  coats,  boys,  and  get  ready  for  a 
fight ;  for  if  we  don't  have  one  in  less  than  ten 
minutes,  I  shall  miss  my  guess." 

"  We  can  tell  more  about  that  when  we  see  the 
hunters,"  said  Featherweight. 

"  0,  I  know  who  they  are,"  replied  Eugene. 
"  I  have   heard   those   hounds   before,  and   I  am 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  57 

certain  that  they  belong  to  Bayard  Bell  and  hia 
crowd." 

The  other  members  of  the  Club  thought  so  too, 
and  they  wished  that  Bayard  had  stayed  away  half 
an  hour  longer,  and  given  them  time  to  remove 
their  game  to  a  place  of  safety. 

Every  section  has  some  laws  of  its  own  that  arc 
not  written  in  books ;  and  this  is  especially  true  of 
a  new  country,  concerning  the  sharing  of  the  pro- 
ceeds of  a  hunt.  For  example,  a  hunter  sets  out 
on  the  trail  of  a  deer  that  has  travelled  all  night. 
A  second  hunter  strikes  the  trail  in  advance  of  him, 
and  follows  up  the  game  and  kills  it.  The  first 
man,  if  he  comes  up  before  the  game  is  removed, 
and  can  prove  that  he  was  on  the  trail  at  an  earlier 
hour  than  his  rival,  can  claim  half  the  deer,  al- 
though he  may  have  been  miles  away  when  it  was 
killed.  Game  was  so  abundant  at  the  time  of 
which  we  write,  that  there  was  seldom  any  diflBculty 
in  regard  to  the  division  of  the  spoils.  If  the  suc- 
cessful hunter  was  generous,  the  other  let  him  off 
very  easily,  perhaps  taking  only  a  few  steaks  for 
his  next  morning's  breakfast ;  but  if  he  showed  a 
disposition  to  be  stingy,  his  rival  always  insisted  on 
his  rights,  and   got  them,  too.     In  this  case   the 


58  THE  sportsman's  club 

Club  thouglit  tliey  saw  a  chance  for  trouble.  Every 
one  in  that  region  knew  that  there  was  a  standing 
reward  of  twenty-five  dollars  offered  for  the  scalp 
of  every  panther  kil.ed  in  the  parish,  and  they 
were  afraid  that  the  hunters  who  were  then  ap- 
proaching might  endeavor  to  establish  a  claim  to  a 
portion  of  the  money.  That  was  something  they 
did  not  intend  to  allow.  They  found  the  trail  first, 
followed  up  the  panther,  and  finding  him  in  com- 
pany with  another,  killed  them  both,  before  any 
one,  except  Mr.  Gay  lord,  knew  that  they  were  in 
the  neighborhood.  They  hurriedly  discussed  the 
matter  while  they  were  awaiting  the  approach  of 
the  rival  hunters,  and  resolved  that  they  would 
stand  up  for  their  rights. 

The  noise  of  the  chase  continued  to  grow  louder 
every  moment,  and  presently  a  pack  of  hounds, 
perhaps  a  dozen  of  them  in  all,  emerged  from  the 
woods,  and  leaping  the  fence  came  close  upon  the 
young  hunters  before  they  discovered  them.  Then 
they  ceased  their  baying,  smelt  of  the  panthers, 
and  tried  to  scrape  an  acquaintance  with  Rex  and 
the  rest  of  the  Club's  hounds ;  but  their  advances 
not  being  very  graciously  received,  they  ran  back 
to  the  fence  to  await  the  arrival  of  their  masters. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  69 

They  came  at  length,  and  when  the  foremost  horse- 
man  appeared  in  sight,  our  heroes  exchanged  sig- 
nificant glances  and  drew  a  little  closer  together, 
while  Eugene  rested  his  gun  against  the  nearest 
tree  and  began  to  pull  oiF  his  overcoat.  "It  is 
just  as  I  expected,"  said  he,  in  great  disgust. 
"We'll  see  fun  now,  for  Bayard  and  his  crowd  are 
mean  enough  for  anything." 

As  Eugene  spoke,  a  magnificent  coal-black 
charger  arose  in  the  air,  and,  sailing  over  the  fence 
like  a  bird,  came  toward  the  thicket  at  a  rapid 
gallop.  He  carried  on  his  back  a  dark  sullen-look- 
ing boy  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  who  wore  a 
military  cloak  and  cap,  heavy  horseman's  boots 
and  gauntlet  gloves,  and  carried  a  light  rifle  slung 
over  his  shoulder  by  a  broad  strap.  This  was 
Bayard  Bell,  Walter's  rival  in  everything  except 
his  studies.  Close  behind  him  came  four  other 
boys — Will  and  Seth  Bell,  Henry  Chase  and  Leo- 
nard Wilson — all  finely  mounted,  neatly  dressed, 
and  armed  with  shot-guns  and  rifles.  These  five 
boys  had  a  society  of  their  own,  something  like  the 
Sportman's  Club,  and  somehow  they  were  always 
opposing  the  members  of  the  Club,  and  were  in- 
variably worsted  by  them.     They  had  claimed  to 


60  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

be  tlie  champion  oarsmen  of  the  Academy,  and  in 
the  attempt  to  establish  that  claim',  had  been  so 
badly  beaten  that  their  friends  were  ashamed  of 
them.  Bayard  and  Henry  Chase  had  been  candi- 
dates for  the  position  of  Commodore  and  Vice-Com- 
modore of  the  Academy  squadron  ;  but  Walter  and 
Featherweight  had  carried  off  the  honors.  Bayard 
also  wanted  to  be  president  of  one  of  the  literary 
societies  of  the  institution,  and  had  worked  hard 
for  certain  academic  honors  that  he  thought  he 
ought  to  have ;  but  rattle-brained  Eugene  Gaylord 
had  snatched  one  of  the  prizes  from  his  grasp,  and 
the  studious  little  Featherweight  had  w^alked  off 
with  the  other.  As  Bayard  and  his  friends  had 
been  confident  of  success  in  every  one  of  these 
instances,  their  failures  were  sore  disappointments 
to  them.  They  looked  upon  their  defeats  as  direct 
insults,  and  declared  that  they  would  never  forget 
them.  They  had  generally  tried  to  treat  the  Club 
with  civility  as  long  as  they  remained  at  the 
Academy,  but  now  that  they  were  out  from  under 
the  eyes  of  their  professors  and  away  from  the 
rest  of  the  students,  they  thought  they  had  no 
reason  to  conceal  the  real  state  of  iheir  feelings. 
The  attention  of  the  new-comers  was   so  fully 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  61 

occupied  in  guiding  their  horses  thr(.ugh  the  thicket 
and  over  the  rough,  uneven  ground,  that  they  did 
not  discover  the  members  of  the  Club  until  they 
had  dashed  into  the  very  midst  of  them  ;  and  then 
they  checked  their  horses  so  suddenly  that  every 
one  of  them  was  thrown  back  upon  his  haunches. 
The  encounter  was  plainly  unexpected,  and  very 
much  of  a  surprise  to  them.  They  gazed  first  at 
our  heroes  and  then  at  the  panthers,  and  taking  in 
the  position  of  affairs  at  a  glance,  looked  inquiringly 
at  one  another,  as  if  to  ask:  "What  shall  we  do 
about  it?"  Bayard  must  have  been  able  to  read 
the  thoughts  that  were  passing  in  the  minds  of  hia 
friends,  or  else  he  received  some  sign  from  them 
indicative  of  their  desires,  for  he  immediately 
assumed  a  swaggering,  bullying  air,  which  told  the 
Club  plainly  enough  what  was  coming. 

"Well,"  he  snarled  (he  always  talked  in  a  snap- 
pish sort  of  way,  as  if  he  were  angry  about  some- 
thing), "  Who's  work  is  this  ?  Who  killed  these 
panthers?" 

"  We  did,"  replied  Eugene. 

"You!"  echoed  Bayard.  He  looked  at  the 
young  hunters  in  amazement,  and  then  smiled 
derisively.     "You  can't  crowd  any  such  story  as 


62  THE   SrOETSMAN'S    CLUB 

that  down  our  tliroats,"  said  he,  at  length.  "  Your 
father  and  your  uncle  Dick  killed  them,  and  you're 
watching  them  while  they  go  after  a  wagon  to  haul 
them  home.     That's  the  way  the  thing  stands." 

"  You  are  nice-looking  fellows  to  kill  two  pan- 
thers, are  you  not?"  said  Seth,  with  a  sneer. 
"  You  would  run  crying  home  to  your  mammas  if 
you  saw  the  track  of  one." 

^'  Have  it  your  own  way,"  replied  Walter,  good- 
naturedly.  "  We  killed  them  without  help  from 
anybody,  but  there's  no  law  that  I  know  of  that 
compels  you  to  believe  it." 

"They're  done  for,  anyhow,"  said  Bayard,  "and 
we  are  saved  considerable  trouble  and  hard  riding:. 
W^e've  been  following  them  for  more  than  an  hour 
- — we  found  their  trail  down  there  on  the  banks  of 
the  bayou — and  we  would  have  got  them  if  we'd 
had  to  follow  them  clear  to  New  York.  If  you  can 
prove  that  you  shot  them  you  will  take  a  few 
dollars  out  of  our  pockets." 

Bayard  and  his  men  dismounted  and  proceeded 
to  examine  the  animals  very  closely.  They  looked 
at  their  teeth,  lifted  their  paws,  guessed  at  their 
weight,  and  finally  Bayard  drew  a  hunting-knife 
from   his  boot,  and  after  trying  the  edge  on  his 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  63 

thumb,  -walked  up  to  one  of  the  panthers  and  took 
hohl  of  his  ear. 

"  Hold  on,  there  !"  exclaimed  Eugene.  "  What 
are  you  about  ?" 

"  What  am  I  about  ?"  repeated  Bayard,  as 
though  he  regarded  the  question  as  a  very  strange 
one ;  "  I  am  going  to  take  this  animal's  scalp — 
that's  all.  It  is  worth  twenty-five  dollars  to  us. 
We  don't  care  for  the  money,  but  we  have  rights 
here,  and  we  intend  to  enforce  them.  You  can 
take  the  other  scalp — it  belongs  to  you,  or  to  who- 
ever killed  the  panthers  —  and,  as  we  are  not 
disposed  to  be  mean,  we.  will  give  you  both  the 
skins." 

"Now,  let  me  tell  you  something,"  said  Perk. 
"  Keep  away  from  there." 

"Eh!"  ejaculated  Bayard,  opening  his  eyes  to 
their  widest  extent.  "  Doesn't  half  the  fifty  dollars 
these  scalps  are  worth  belong  to  us  ?  It  does,  and 
we're  going  to  have  it." 

Perk  very  deliberately  pulled  off  his  overcoat 
and  threw  it  across  his  saddle,  and  Bayard  put  up 
his  knife  and  stepped  back.  Perk  coolly  seated  him- 
self on  the  head  of  the  largest  panther,  crossed  his 
legs  over  the  other,  and  placed  his  hat  beside  him 


64  THE  sportsman's  club 

on  the  ground.  When  the  Club  witnessed  these 
movements,  thej  told  themselves  that  if  they  had 
belonged  to  Bayard's  party,  knowing  their  friend 
as  well  as  they  did,  the  offer  of  double  the  value 
of  the  panthers'  scalps  would  not  have  induced 
them  to  interfere  with  him  then. 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  65 


i6 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WILD-HOG   HUNTING. 

^TT'ELL,  this  beats  anything  I  ever  heard 
^^  of,"  said  Will  Bell,  angrily.  ^'I  shouldn't 
wonder  if  we  had  to  fight  for  our  share." 

"  That  would  be  a  bad  job  for  you,"  said  Bab. 
"  Now,  Bayard,  let  me  ask  you  a  question  :  when 
did  you  start  the  trail  of  these  animals?" 

*'At  daylight,"  was  the  prompt  reply;  "and 
you  couldn't  have  found  it  any  sooner  than  that,  I 
guess.  They  were  around  our  house  all  night,  both 
of  them." 

"That's  a — good  morning,"  said  Featherweight. 

"  It's  a  truth,  and  I  can  prove  it,"  shouted 
Bayard,  glaring  savagely  at  Featherweight.  "  Get 
away  from  there,  Phil  Perkins." 

"  Now,  Bayard,  if  you  will  listen  to  me  a  mo- 
ment I  will  tell  you  something,"  answered  Perk. 
"  I  won't  budge  an  inch." 

Bayard  hesitated  a  moment  as  if  undecided  how 
5 


6Q  THE  sportsman's  club 

to  act,  and  then  made  a  sign  to  his  men,  who  un- 
slung  their  guns,  and  after  hanging  them  upon  the 
horns  of  their  saddles,  pulled  off  their  coats  and 
came  up  around  their  leader,  while  the  Club  moved 
up  to  support  Perk.  A  collision  seemed  imminent, 
and  Walter,  who  did  not  believe  in  fighting,  tried 
to  reason  with  his  rival. 

"Look  here.  Bayard,"  said  he;  "when  you  first 
came  up  you  told  us  that  you  had  followed  the  trail 
of  these  two  panthers  for  more  than  an  hour,  and 
that  you  found  it  on  the  bank  of  the  bayou." 

"  So  I  did,  and  I'll  stick  to  it." 

"  And  a  moment  ago  you  declared  that  you 
discovered  it  at  daylight,  somewhere  near  your 
house." 

"Eh!"  exclaimed  Bayard,  who  could  not  help 
seeing  that  he  had  contradicted  himself.  "  I  mean 
— you  see — that's  the  truth,  too." 

"  Your  stories  don't  agree,"  continued  Walter. 
"  The  facts  of  the  case  are  that  these  two  animals 
did  not  come  together  until  this  morning.  The 
larger  one  was  prowling  about  our  house  until  mid- 
night, and  our  dogs  treed  him.  We  cut  the  tree 
down,  but  he  escaped  ;  and  at  the  first  peep  of  day 
we  put  our  hounds  on  his  track,  and  followed  him 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  07 

np  and  killei  him.  You  struck  the  trail  behind 
us,  and  consequently  are  not  entitled  to  a  share  of 
the  reward." 

This  proved  to  Bayard's  satisfaction  that  the 
Club  understood  the  matter  quite  as  well  as  he  did. 
He  and  his  men  had  been  out  coon-hunting,  most 
likely  (their  reputation  as  hunters  did  not  warrant 
the  supposition  that  they  were  in  search  of  larger 
game),  and  having  stumbled  upon  the  trail  of  the 
panthers  they  had  followed  it  up  out  of  curiosity, 
and  not  with  any  intention  of  attacking  the  animalg 
if  they  had  overtaken  them.  When  they  found 
the  Club  alone  with  their  prizes,  they  thought  it 
would  be  a  good  plan  to  pay  oif  some  of  their  old 
scores  by  robbing  them  of  a  portion  of  their  game. 
They  were  noted  bullies  and  fighting  characters, 
and  they  thought  the  knowledge  of  this  fact  would 
awe  the  young  hunters  into  submission  to  any  de- 
mands they  might  make  upon  them  ;  but  they  had 
reckoned  without  their  host.  Walter  saw  that  what 
he  had  said  made  Bayard  and  his  friends  very 
angry,  and  he  was  glad  that  he  was  not  alone. 

"I  see  just  how  it  is  !"  exclaimed  Seth  Bell,  in 
a  voice  ohoked  with  passion.  "  You  have  beaten 
us  at  so  many  things  that  you  have  got  it  into  your 


68  THE    SPORTSMAN  S    CLUB 

heads  tliat  jou  can  ride  over  us  rough-sliod  at  any 
time  you  please;  but  you  will  find  that  you  can't 
do  it.  We've  got  things  fixed  for  one  of  you,  if 
you  only  knew  it,  and  in  less  than  tw^o  days — " 

"Hold  on,  Seth,"  interrupted  Bayard;  "you're 
talking  too  much.    Get  away  from  there,  Perkins." 

"  If  it's  all  the  same  to  you,  I'd  as  soon  sit  here 
as  anywhere  else,"  was  the  reply.  "  If  you  had 
any  claim  we  wouldn't  say  a  word.  It  isn't  the 
twenty-five  dollars  we  care  for.  If  you  were  in 
need  of  it  we  would  give  it  to  you  gladly ;  but  you 
might  as  well  understand,  first  as  last,  that  you 
can't  bully  us  out  of  our  rights.  If  you  don't  get 
anything  to  eat  until  we  surrender  one  of  these 
scalps  to  you,  you'll  be  hungry — that's  a  fact." 

This  speech  was  delivered  with  the  utmost  good 
nature,  but  the  Club  knew,  and  so  did  Bayard  and 
his  men,  that  it  was  quite  useless  to  argue  the  mat- 
tor  further.  The  actions  of  the  latter  indicated 
that  the}^  did  not  intend  to  waste  any  more  time  in 
words,  but  had  made  up  their  minds  to  try  what 
virtue  there  was  in  their  muscles ;  for  they  took  off 
their  caps,  rolled  up  their  sleeves,  and  made  other 
preparati:)ns  to  attack  the  Club  and  drive  them 
from   the  field.     "  Come    on,  fellows,"    exclaimed 


IN    THE   SADDLE.  69 

Bajanl ;  "  and  every  time  you  put  in  a  blow  think 
of  ""liat  boat-race,  and  of  the  election  that  was  car- 
ried against  us  by  fraud." 

''  I  really  believe  there's  going  to  be  a  skirmish 
here,"  said  Perk,  rising  to  his  feet  and  drawing 
himself  up  to  his  full  height.  "  Now  let  me  tell 
you  something :  I  am  going  to  take  the  two  biggest 
of  you  and  knock  your  heads  together.    Pitch  in." 

Bayard  and  his  men,  not  in  the  least  intimidated 
by  this  threat,  took  Perk  at  his  word.  They  set 
up  a  yell  and  sprang  forward  like  a  lot  of  young 
savages ;  but  before  they  had  made  many  steps 
they  were  suddenly  checked  by  an  unlooked-for  in- 
cident that  happened  just  then.  A  score  of  hounds 
in  full  cry  burst  from  the  woods,  and  leaping  the 
fence  came  dashing  into  the  thicket,  following  the 
trail  of  the  panthers.  A  half-dozen  horsemen,  two 
of  whom  were  Mr.  Gaylord  and  Uncle  Dick,  and 
the  rest  negroes,  followed  close  at  their  heels,  and 
at  the  sight  of  them  the  ardor  of  Bayard  and  hia 
men  cooled  directly.  They  paused  in  their  head- 
long rush,  and,  acting  with  a  common  impulse, 
caught  up  their  coats,  retreated  quickly  to  their 
horses,  and  mounted  with  all  possible  haste.  When 
they  found  themselves  safe  in   their  saddles  their 


70  THE  sportsman's  club 

courage  returned,  and  while  the  others  contented 
themselves  with  shakincr  their  fists  at  the  members 
of  the  Club,  Seth  stopped  to  saj  a  parting  word  to 
them. 

"  You  haven't  seen  the  last  of  us,  my  young 
friends  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  very  savage  tone  of 
voice.  "  In  less  than  two  days  one  of  you  will 
find  himself " 

Just  then  Bayard's  heavy  glove  came  across 
Seth's  mouth  with  a  sounding  whack,  and  the  lat- 
ter's  horse  starting  ofi"  with  the  others  carried  him 
out  of  sight,  to  the  great  disappointment  of  the 
Club,  who  had  listened  eagerly  to  his  words,  hoping 
to  obtain  some  clue  to  the  plans  Bayard  had  laid 
against  them.  They  found  out  in  due  time  what 
those  plans  were,  and  in  a  way  that  one  of  their 
number,  at  least,  did  not  like. 

*'  What's  the  matter  here,  boys  ?"  cried  Uncle 
Dick,  reining  in  his  horse  with  a  jerk.  "  You  did 
not  come  to  blows  with  those — well,  I  declare  !" 

Uncle  Dick  did  not  finish  what  he  had  to  say. 
He  glanced  down  at  the  game  and  opened  his  eyes 
in  amazement,  and  so  did  Mr.  Gaylord ;  and  for  a 
few  seconds  neither  of  them  spoke.  Eugene,  how- 
ever, was  very  talkative,  and  while  his  father  and 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  71 

tincle  were  examining  the  panthers,  he  entertained 
them  with  a  glowing  description  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  Club  had  accomplished  their  destruction 
and   told   what    had    passed    between    them    and 
Bayard. 

"  I  wouldn't  have  anything  to  do  with  those  fel- 
lows," said  Mr.  Gaylord,  when  Eugene  had  finished 
his  story.  "  I  would  keep  out  of  sight  and  hear- 
ing of  them  as  much  as  I  possibly  could.  They 
are  a  hard  lot,  and  as  you  have  been  unfortunate 
enough  to  incur  their  enmity,  they  will  seek  every 
opportunity  to  be  revenged  upon  you.  Bob,"  he 
added,  turning  to  one  of  the  negroes,  "  put  these 
animals  on  your  mule,  and  take  them  to  the  house. 
Come,  boys,  you  have  done  enough  for  one  day." 

The  Club  mounted  their  horses,  and,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Gaylord  and  Uncle  Dick,  rode  toward  the 
house,  the  negroes  and  the  hounds  bringing  up  the 
rear.  The  panthers  were  left  on  the  floor  of  the 
gin-house,  and  two  of  the  negroes  were  instructed 
how  to  remove  and  stretch  the  skins  so  that  they 
could  be  preserved ;  for  Uncle  Dick,  who  was  very 
proud  of  the  exploit  the  boys  had  performed,  al- 
though he  had  had  but  little  to  say  about  it,  de- 
clared that  they  ought  to  have  something  to  remem- 


12  THE    SPORTSMAN  S    CLUB 

ber  that  morning's  hunt  bj,  and  announced  that  it 
was  his  intention  to  send  the  skins  to  a  taxidermist 
in  New  Orleans,  and  have  them  stuiFed  and 
mounted. 

After  Uncle  Dick  left  the  gin-house,  the  hoya 
stood  for  a  long  time  holding  their  horses  by  the 
bridle,  watching  the  operation  of  skinning  the 
panthers,  and  wondering  what  they  should  do  next. 
It  was  not  yet  twelve  o'clock,  and  there  was  a 
whole  afternoon  before  them  to  be  passed  in  some 
way.  Eugene,  who  did  not  care  much  what  he  did 
so  long  as  he  was  in  motion,  suggested  that  hunting 
wild-turkeys  was  fine  sport ;  but  as  the  snow  that 
had  fallen  the  night  before  had  already  disappeared, 
and  the  chances  of  tracking  turkeys  on  the  bare 
ground  were  slim  indeed,  the  Club  said  they  would 
rather  not  attempt  it.  Featherweight  reminded 
them  of  the  'coon-hunt  they  had  decided  upon  the 
night  before ;  but  Walter  declared  that  it  was  not 
to  be  thought  of.  After  killing  two  panthers,  and 
defying  Bayard  Bell  and  his  crowd  of  fellows^  'coon- 
hunting  would  be  very  tame  sport.  They  must  have 
something  more  exciting. 

"  Well,  den,  I  tells  you  what  you  kin  do,  Marse 
Walter,"  said  one  of  the  negroes,  looking  up  from 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  73 

bis  work;    "jou  'members    dem    wild   hogs    that 
wasn't  druv  up  last  fall  kase  we   couldn't  cotch 

f  0'  > 

em  : 

"  Yes  !"  cried  the  boys  in  concert. 

"I  knows  right  whar  they  uses,"*  continued  the 
negro. 

"Now,  that's  the  very  idea!"  said  Perk,  excited- 
ly. "  There's  plenty  of  sport  in  wild-hog  hunting, 
and  I  move  that  we  start  out  at  once.  Where  shall 
we  go  to  find  the  hogs,  uncle  ?" 

"You  knows  whar  de  ole  bee-tree  is?"  replied 
the  negro.  "  It's  holler,  you  know.  Well,  dar  dey 
is — fo'  on  'em — mighty  big  fellers,  too,  an'  savage, 
kase  I  seed  'em  yesterday  when  I  went  out  fur  to 
fetch  up  the  mules." 

"Let's  be  off,  fellows,"  repeated  Perk,  impa- 
tiently. 

Wouldn't  it  be  better  to  wait  until  to-morrow  and 
make  a  day  of  it  ?"  asked  Walter.  "  We'll  get  some 
of  the  darkies  to  help  us,  and  take  the  cart  along 
to  haul  the  game  home  in." 

*  In  the  South  an(J  West  this  word  is  used  in  the  same  sense  as 
frequent.  If  a  hunter  says  that  wild  animals  "use"  any  particular 
portion  of  the  woods,  he  means  that  they  are  generally  to  be  found 
there 


74  THE  sportsman's  club 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  this  afternoon  ?"  askol 
Perk.  "  That's  the  question  now  before  the 
house." 

^'  As  far  as  you  are  individually  concerned,"  re- 
plied Bab,  "  I  will  promise  you  that  the  time  shall 
not  hang  heavily  on  your  hands.  I'll  beat  you  at 
playing  backgammon." 

The  majority  of  the  Club  were  in  favor  of  Wal- 
ter's proposition,  and,  after  some  remonstrance 
from  Eugene,  who  couldn't  see  how  in  the  world  he 
was  going  to  pass  the  rest  of  the  day,  as  he  was  not 
much  of  a  backgammon  player,  and  had  no  new 
book  to  read,  it  was  finally  adopted.  The  boys 
then,  suddenly  remembering  that  they  had  eaten 
no  breakfast  and  that  they  were  very  hungry,  put 
their  horses  in  the  stable  and  walked  toward  the 
house.  Sam  speedily  served  them  up  a  cold  lunch, 
and  at  three  o'clock  they  were  summoned  to  dinner, 
to  which  they  did  ample  justice. 

Bab  kept  his  promise  to  Perk,  and  during  the 
whole  of  the  afternoon,  and  until  late  at  night, 
made  things  exceedingly  lively  for  that  young  gen- 
tleman, beating  him  at  every  game  of  backgammon. 
Walter  and  Featherweight  passed  the  time  with 
reading  and  studying ;  and  Eugene,  after  he  had 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  75 

Diade  all  the  necessary  preparations  for  tlie  hog- 
hunt  on  the  morrow,  went  up  to  the  "cabin,"  as 
Uncle  Dick's  room  was  always  called,  and,  finding 
the  old  sailor  absent,  took  possession  of  his  sofa  and 
went  to  sleep. 

There  were  no  panthers  to  prowl  about  and  dis- 
turb their  rest  that  night,  and  the  young  hunters 
did  not  know  that  anything  unusual  happened  on 
the  plantation.  But,  for  all  that,  something  unusual 
did  happen,  and  if  the  boys  had  witnessed  it,  they 
would  have  been  much  more  excited  and  alarmed 
than  they  had  been  at  any  time  during  the  day  or 
previous  night.  About  eight  o'clock  two  horsemen, 
one  wearing  a  cloak  and  riding  a  white  horse,  and 
the  other  wearing  an  overcoat  and  mounted  on  a 
bay  horse,  galloped  down  the  road  and  drew  rein 
in  front  of  the  gate  which  opened  into  the  carriage- 
way leading  to  Mr.  Gaylord's  dwelling.  There 
they  stopped  and  held  a  long  and  earnest  consulta 
tion,  after  which  they  opened  the  gate  and  were  on 
the  point  of  riding  toward  the  house,  when  two  men 
Buddenly  sprang  from  the  thick  bushes  that  grew  on 
each  side  of  the  carriage-way,  and  while  one  caught 
the  bridle  of  the  white  horse  and  held  fast  to  it,  the 
other  seized  his  rider  and  pulled  him  to  the  ground. 


76  THE  sportsman's  club 

A  few  gruff  words  were  addressed  to  the  othet 
horseman,  who  sat  motionless  in  his  saddle  for  a 
moment,  then  faced  about  and  tore  down  the  road 
as  if  all  the  wolves  in  the  parish  were  close  at  his 
heels,  followed  by  the  white  horse,  which  was  rider- 
less ;  and  before  the  sound  of  their  hoofs  had  died 
away,  the  men  had  disappeared  as  quickly  as  they 
had  come,  taking  their  prisoner  with  them,  and  the 
carriage-way  was  once  more  silent  and  deserted. 

The  Club,  little  dreaming  that  such  a  proceeding 
as  this  had  taken  place  almost  within  sight  of  their 
window,  slept  soundly  all  night,  and  bright  and 
early  the  next  morning  might  have  been  seen  with 
their  overcoats,  comforters  and  gloves  on,  walking 
up  and  down  the  back  porch  of  the  house,  waiting 
for  their  horses  to  be  brought  out.  In  front  of  the 
door  stood  a  light  two-wheeled  cart,  which,  besides 
two  large  baskets  of  eatables,  contained  the  four 
negroes  who  were  to  assist  the  boys  in  securing  the 
wild  hogs — three  of  them  curled  up  among  the 
straw  on  the  bottom  of  the  vehicle,  and  the  other 
sitting  on  the  driver's  seat  holding  the  reins  over  a 
very  old  and  infirm  pony,  which  stood  with  his  head 
down  and  his  eyes  closed,  as  if  fast  asleep. 
Gathered  about  the  foot  of  the  steps  that  led  to 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  77 

the  porch  were  the  hounds,  some  lying  down,  others 
walking  restlessly  about,  and  all  of  them  showing 
by  unmistakable  signs  that  they  were  impatient  at 
the  delay.  Conspicuous  among  them  stood  Rex, 
who  was  the  Club's  main  dependence  that  day — ^as 
indeed  he  was  every  day — the  other  hounds  not 
being  considered  of  much  service  in  wild-hog 
hunting. 

"  Cuff,"  said  Eugene,  addressing  himself  to  the 
driver  of  the  cart,  "  you  might  as  well  go  ahead, 
and  when  you  pass  the  stables  hurry  up  those 
horses.  We're  tired  of  waiting  for  them.  Let's 
sino;  somethins;,  fellows." 

Perk,  Bab  and  Featherweight  pulled  their  muf- 
flers down  from  their  faces  and  moved  up  closer  to 
Eugene,  who  coughed  once  or  twice  and  sang  in  a 
clear  soprano  voice  : — 

"A  southerly  wind  and  a  cloudy  sky 

Proclaim  it  a  hunting  morning; 
Before  the  sun  rises  away  we'll  fly, 

Dull  sleep  and  a  downy  bed  scorning. 
To  horse,  my  brave  boys,  and  away ! 

Bright  Phoebus  the  hills  is  adorning  j 
The  face  of  all  nature  looks  gay; 

'Tis  a  beautiful  scent-laying  morning. 
Hark !  hark  !  forward  ! 
Tan-ta-ra!  tan-ta-ra!  tan-ta-ral" 


78  THE    SPORTSMAIS'S    CLUB 

The  song  was  not  exactly  appropriate  to  the 
occasion.  The  sky  was  not  cloudy,  but  perfectly 
clear;  and  instead  of  a  "  southerly  wind"  there 
was  a  keen  north  wind  blowing,  which  was  so 
searching  that  the  boys  were  glad  to  pull  their  com- 
forters up  around  their  faces  again  as  soon  as  the 
song  was  finished,  and  walked  up  and  down  the 
porch  beating  their  hands  together  to  keep  them 
warm.  But,  for  all  that,  it  was  well  sung  and  worth 
listening  to ;  for  these  four  boys  understood  music 
and  delighted  in  it.  Eugene  was  a  good  soprano, 
Featherweight  carried  the  alto,  Bab  sang  a  fine 
tenor,  and  Perk's  bass  was  something  better  than 
common.  AValter  was  the  only  one  of  the  Club 
who  had  no  music  in  his  soul.  He  generally  joined 
in  the  singing,  and  always  made  a  discord ;  but  on 
this  particular  morning  he  held  his  peace,  having 
something  else  to  think  about.  He  had  drawn 
back  into  the  doorway  to  get  out  of  the  wind,  and 
stood  with  one  hand  in  his  pocket,  and  the  other 
holding  a  newspaper,  at  which  his  right  eye,  which 
was  the  only  part  of  his  face  that  could  be  seen 
over  his  muffler,  was  looking  intently.  When  the 
song  was  finished  he  uttered  an  exclamation,  and 
without  stopping  to  explain  read  as  follows : — 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  T9 

**  Lajitte  Rcdivhm. — A  gang  of  desperate  smugglers  have  taken 
np  their  abode  among  the  dark  bayous  and  pestilent  swamps  of  that 
portion  of  Louisiana  bordering  on  the  Gulf  coast.  They  are  com- 
posed of  Chinamen,  Malays,  Portuguese  and  Creoles,  and  are  led 
by  two  Americans.  The  New  Orleans  Collector  of  Customs  expecta 
soon  to  accomplish  their  detection,  although  he  has  thus  far  been 
unable  to  gain  the  slightest  clue  to  their  haunts,  or  to  the  manner  in 
which  their  nefarious  trade  is  carried  on." 

"What  do  you  think  of  that?"  asked  Walter, 
turning  toward  his  companions  to  observe  the  effect 
the  reading  of  this  article  would  have  upon  them. 
He  expected  them  to  be  astonished,  and  their 
actions  indicated  that  they  certainly  were. 

"I'll  tell  you  what  I  think  about  it,"  said  Perk, 
who  was  the  first  to  speak.  "I  don't  doubt  the 
existence  of  such  a  band,  for  some  of  the  settlers 
have  suspected  it  for  a  long  time,  and  the  presence 
of  the  revenue  cutters  along  the  coast  shows  that 
the  government  suspects  it  also ;  and  I  think  that 
if  we  had  got  into  a  fight  w^ith  those  boys  yesterday, 
w^e  would  have  whipped  three  of  the  relatives  of 
the  ringleader  of  this  organization," 

The  arrival  of  the  horses  at  this  moment  put  a 
stop  to  the  conversation  ;  but  when  the  young  hunt- 
ers had  mounted  and  ridden  into  the  lane  that  ran 
across  the  cornfield  toward  the  swamp,  it  was  re* 


80  THE    SPORTSMAN  S    CLUB 

sumed,  and  the  matter  discussed  most  thoroughly. 
But  at  the  end  of  an  hour,  after  each  boy  had  ex- 
pressed an  opinion  and  brought  forward  his  argu- 
ments to  establish  it,  they  knew  no  more  about  the 
smugglers  than  they  did  when  they  began  the  debate. 
Their  horses,  however,  had  made  better  use  of  their 
time,  for  while  the  discussion  was  in  progress  they 
had  accomplished  the  four  miles  that  lay  between 
the  house  and  the  swamp,  and  brought  their  riders 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  old  bee-tree.  There  the 
Club  dismounted  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  cart 
and  the  negroes,  and  to  decide  upon  the  plan  of 
the  hunt.  They  dropped  the  smugglers  now,  and 
talked  about  nothing  but  wild  hogs. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  write  farming  was  carried 
on  on  an  extensive  scale  at  the  South.  Mr.  Gay- 
lord  had  more  than  three  thousand  acres  under  cul- 
tivation. He  owned  two  hundred  working  mules 
and  horses,  double  that  number  of  young  cattle 
which  ran  loose  in  the  swamp,  and  two  thousand 
hogs.  These  hogs  were  not  managed  as  Northern 
farmers  manage  theirs.  They  were  allowed  to  roam 
at  will  in  the  woods  from  one  year's  end  to  another's 
— all  except  those  he  intended  to  fatten,  which  were 
penned  up  during  the  latter  part  of  the  autumn  and 


IN  THE   SADDLE.  81 

fed  until  just  before  the  holidays,  when  they  were 
slaughtered.  Those  that  w^ere  permitted  to  run  \t 
large  fared  sumptuously  on  beech-nuts,  acorns,  and 
hickory-nuts.  Mr.  Gaylord's  neighbors  all  owned 
immense  droves,  which  also  ran  loose  in  the  swamp, 
and,  of  course,  it  was  necessary  to  have  some  way 
of  distinguishing  them,  so  that  each  planter  would 
know  his  property  when  he  saw  it ;  consequently  the 
hogs  were  all  marked — that  is,  their  ears  were  cut 
in  different  ways.  Mr.  Gaylord  marked  his  by  cut- 
ting the  left  ear  entirely  off;  so  whenever  he 
found  a  one-eared  hog  in  the  woods,  he  was  pretty 
certain  that  it  belonged  to  him. 

Catching  these  hogs  was  as  much  of  a  jubilee 
with  Southern  boys  as  a  corn-husking  is  with  you 
fellows  who  live  in  the  North.  A  planter  set  a  cer- 
tain day  for  the  business,  and  needing  all  the  help 
he  could  get,  sent  invitations  to  his  neighbors,  who 
responded  by  coming  themselves  and  bringing  some 
of  their  negroes.  The  most  of  the  hogs,  being 
tame  and  gentle,  could  be  driven  anywhere,  and 
before  night  they  would  be  confined  in  pens  pre- 
viously made  for  their  reception ;  but  there  were 
always  some  wild  ones  among  them  that  would  take 


82  THE  sportsman's  club 

to  tbeir  heels  and  seek  refuge  in  the  deepest  parta 
of  the  swamp.  Then  came  the  fun.  These  hogs 
must  be  secured,  and  that  couhl  be  done  only  by 
catching  them  with  dogs  and  tying  them — an  under- 
taking in  which  there  was  plenty  of  excitement, 
but  which  was  sometimes  attended  with  consider- 
able danger,  as  you  will  presently  see.  The  hogs 
of  which  Walter  and  his  friends  were  now  in  pur- 
suit, had  escaped  from  Mr.  Gaylord's  drove  during 
the  previous  autumn,  and  had  remained  at  large  in 
spite  of  all  the  efforts  made  to  capture  them. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  cart  came  up,  and  after  a 
short  consultation  with  the  driver  the  plan  of  the 
attack  was  decided  upon.  The  pony  was  tied  to  a 
sapling,  the  boys  and  negroes  formed  themselves 
into  a  line,  and,  after  sending  the  dogs  on  in  ad 
vance,  began  to  move  toward  the  old  bee-tree, 
gradually  lengthening  the  line  as  they  approached 
it,  in  order  to  surround  the  game.  The  dogs  did 
not  give  tongue  and  run  about  among  the  bushes, 
as  they  usually  did,  but,  led  by  Rex,  walkej 
straight  ahead,  as  if  they  understood  the  matter  in 
hand  as  well  as  their  masters  did,  and  moved  so 
slowly  that  the  boys  easily  kept  them  in  sight. 
They  had  gone  perhaps  half  a  mile  in  this  order, 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  83 

^•hen  the  hounds  suddenly  uttered  a  simultaneous 
yelp,  which  was  followed  by  a  loud  grunt  and  a 
violent  commotion  in  the  bushes  directly  in  advance 
of  them.  The  game  was  started,  and  now  the 
hunt  began  in  earnest. 


84  THE  sportsman's  club 


CHAPTER  V. 

PERK  IN  A  PREDICAMENT. 

nflllERE  are  times  when  nothing  in  the  wodd 
does  one  so  much  good  as  giving  vent  to  half 
a  dozen  terrific  yells  in  quick  succession,  and  we 
have  always  thought  that  the  occasion  of  a  hog 
hunt  is  one  of  them.  When  the  sport  first  begins, 
and  you  hear  the  game,  which  is  to  you  invisible, 
crashing  through  the  bushes  on  all  sides  of  you ; 
when  you  see  your  eager  dogs  flying  over  the 
ground  like  "  coursers  in  the  race  "  (we  never 
could  understand  how  any  healthy  boy  can  live 
without  at  least  one  good  dog) ;  when  your  horse, 
hearing  the  sounds  of  the  chase,  pricks  up  his  ears 
and  fairly  trembles  under  the  saddle  with  impa- 
tience ;  when  you  feel  your  muscles  growing  rigid, 
and  your  heart  swelling  within  you  with  excite- 
ment ; — in  circumstances  like  these,  is  there  any- 
thing that  lets  oif  the  surplus  steam  so  easily  and 
completely  as  a  few  good  yells  g^'ven  with  your 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  85 

whole  soul  ?  It  is  one  of  the  very  host  things  in 
the  world  for  the  health — at  least  the  Club  thought 
so  ;  and  if  jou  could  have  heard  the  yells  they  gave 
on  that  particular  morning,  you  would  have  said 
that  they  were  blessed  with  extraordinary  lungs. 

In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  after  the 
hounds  gave  them  notice  that  the  game  had  been 
discovered,  the  young  hunters  had  scattered  in  all 
directions,  and  Walter  found  himself  being  carried 
through  the  bushes  with  a  rapidity  that  endangered 
not  only  his  clothing  but  his  skin,  also.  His  white 
charger,  Tom,  had  engaged  in  wild-hog  hunting  so 
often  that  he  well  understood  his  business,  which 
"Was  to  follow  Hex  wherever  he  went,  and  keep  as 
clos^  to  his  heels  as  possible ;  and  AV alter  had 
nothing  to  do  but  to  lie  flat  along  his  neck,  to  avoid 
being  swept  out  of  the  saddle  by  the  branches  of 
the  trees,  shut  his  eyes  and  hold  on  like  grim 
death.  This  was  not  the  most  comfortable  position 
in  the  world,  for  the  horse,  which  entered  into  the 
sport  with  as  much  eagerness  as  though  he  possessed 
the  soul  to  appreciate  it,  was  not  at  all  careful  in 
picking  his  way.  He  went  like  the  wind,  dodging 
around  this  stump,  jumping  over  that,  plunging 
through   thickets  of  briers  and  cane  that  seemed 


86  THE    iPOETSMAN*S   CLUB 

almost  impassable,  and  finally,  without  any  word 
from  his  rider,  suddenly  stopped. 

Walter  looked  up  and  found  himself  in  a  clear 
space  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  in  which  the 
bushes  had  been  beaten  down  and  trampled  upon 
until  they  presented  the  appearance  of  having  been 
cut  with  a  scythe.  Near  the  middle  of  this  clear 
spot  stood  the  faithful  Rex,  holding  by  the  ear  the 
largest  wild  hog  it  was  ever  Walter's  fortune  to  put 
eyes  on.  His  attention  was  first  attracted  by  a 
wound  on  the  greyhound's  shoulder,  from  which  the 
blood  was  flowing  profusely,  and  then  his  eyes 
wandered  to  the  enormous  tusks  that  had  made  that 
wound. 

These  tusks  are  two  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw,  one 
on  each  side,  sometimes  represented  as  growing 
above  the  snout,  as  you  see  them  in  the  pictures  in 
your  geography  and  natural  history.  You  may 
have  regarded  these  pictures  as  exaggerations,  but 
if  you  could  have  seen  the  hog  Rex  caught  that 
morning  you  would  have  had  reason  to  think  dif- 
ferently. His  tusks  were  five  inches  in  length. 
These  teeth  are  not  used  in  chewing  the  food,  but 
in  fighting ;  and  they  are  dangerous  weapons.  A 
wild  hog  does  not  bite  his  enemy,  as  one  might  sup- 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  87 

pose ;  but  strikes  and  wounds  him  with  his  tusks ; 
and  wherever  they  touch  they  cut  like  a  knife. 

A  wild  hog  is  the  wildest  thing  that  ever  lived, 
not  even  excepting  a  deer  or  turkey.  He  inhabits 
the  darkest  nooks  in  the  woods,  and,  like  some 
other  wild  animals,  feeds  at  night  and  sleeps  in  the 
day  time.  He  has  one  peculiarity :  no  matter  how 
tight  a  place  he  gets  into  or  how  badly  he  is  hurt, 
he  never  squeals.  More  than  that,  a  dog  which 
has  often  hunted  wild  hogs  seems  to  fall  into  their 
habits,  for  during  the  hunt  he  seldom  growls  or 
barks. 

Walter  was  highly  enraged  when  he  found  that 
Rex  was  wounded,  and  told  himself  that  if  he  had 
had  his  double-barrel  in  his  hands  he  would  have 
put  an  end  to  that  hog's  existence  then  and  there. 
But  he  was  entirely  unarmed,  and  not  possessing 
the  courage  to  attack  such  a  monster  with  empty 
hands,  he  sat  quietly  in  his  saddle  and  watched  the 
contest.  He  had  seen  Rex  in  many  a  battle  before 
that,  and  he  saw  him  in  some  desperate  scrapes 
afterward,  but  he  never  knew  him  to  fight  with 
greater  determination  than  he  exhibited  that  morn- 
ing. Have  you  ever  seen  an  ant  carrying  off  a 
grain  of  corn  ?     If  you  have,  you  will  gain  some 


88  THE  sportsman's  club 

idea  of  the  great  odds  Rex  had  to  contend  with 
when  we  tell  you  that  there  was  as  much  difference 
in  size  between  him  and  the  hog,  as  between  the 
ant  and  the  kernel  of  corn.  He  looked  altogether 
too  small  to  engage  so  large  an  enemy ;  but  his 
wound  had  enraged  him,  and  when  he  once  got  his 
blood  up,  he  feared  nothing. 

The  hog  was  no  coward,  either.  He  had  evi- 
dently made  up  his  mind  to  win  the  battle,  and  his 
movements  were  much  more  rapid  than  you  would 
suppose  so  large  a  mountain  of  flesh  capable  of. 
He  struck  at  Rex  repeatedly,  and  tried  hard  to 
bring  him  within  reach  of  those  terrible  tusks,  one 
fair  blow  from  which  would  have  ended  the  battle 
in  an  instant  and  left  Walter  to  sing : 

"  No  dog  to  love,  none  to  caress.** 

But  Rex  understood  all  that  quite  as  well  as  his 
master  did.  He  sustained  his  high  reputation  even 
in  that  emergency,  holding  fast  to  the  hog's  ear, 
keeping  out  of  reach  of  the  deadly  teeth,  and  now 
and  then  giving  his  antagonist  a  shake  that  brought 
him  to  his  knees.  It  was  genuine  science  against 
Kentucky  science — main  strength  and  awkward- 
ness.    Neither  of  the  combatants  uttered  a  sound  ; 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  89 

both  fought  in  silence  and  with  the  energy  of  des- 
peration. 

Walter  had  watched  the  contest  perhaps  two  or 
three  minutes,  not  yet  having  made  up  his  mind 
what  he  ought  to  do,  when  he  heard  a  crashing  in 
the  bushes  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  clearing,  and 
presently  a  large  iron-gray  horse  appeared  and 
stopped  as  his  own  had  done.  On  his  back  he  bore 
an  object  that  was  almost  covered  up  by  a  broad- 
brimmed  planter's  hat ;  and  the  removal  of  that 
hat  revealed  the  flushed  face  and  black  head  of 
Phil  Perkins.  He  gazed  about  him  for  a  moment 
with  a  bewildered  air,  and  when  his  eyes  rested  on 
the  greyhound  and  his  huge  antagonist,  he  straight- 
ened up  and  prepared  for  action.  Ilis  first  move 
was  to  throw  back  his  head  and  give  utterance  to  a 
yell  that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  Choctaw 
brave  in  his  war-paint,  and  his  second  to  spring  off 
his  horse  and  run  to  the  hound's  assistance.  He 
stopped  for  a  moment  to  push  back  his  sleeves  and 
Bettle  his  hat  firmly  on  his  head,  and  before  Walter 
could  tell  what  he  was  going  to  do,  he  caught  the 
hog  by  his  hind  legs  and  with  one  vigorous  twist 
lifted  him  from  the  ground  and  threw  him  on  his 
side.      Hold'.ng  bim  down  with  one  hand,  he  fura- 


90  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

bled  in  his  pockets  with  the  other,  and  finally  drew 
out  a  piece  of  rope,  with  which  he  proceeded  to 
confine  the  hog's  feet. 

Now,  Perkins  was  quite  as  famous  for  his  reckless 
courage  as  for  his  strength,  and  when  he  appeared 
on  the  scene  Walter  knew  that  something  was 
going  to  happen  to  that  hog ;  but  he  little  thought 
his  friend  would  attack  him  with  empty  hands. 
"Perk  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  great  alarm,  "get  away 
from  there.     Don't  you  know  you  are  in  danger?" 

"  No,  I  reckon  not,"  was  Perk's  reply.  "  If  I 
can't  manage  any  hog  that  ever  ran  wild  in  Louisi- 
ana, when  once  I  get  a  good  hold  of  him,  I  will 
make  you  a  present  of  my  horse." 

"But,  Perk,  you've  got  hold  of  a  varmint  now. 
That  fellow  is  as  big  as  two  common  hogs." 

"  No  difference  if  he  is  as  big  as  four.  I  am 
man  enough  for  him." 

At  this  moment,  just  as  Walter  was  about  to  dis- 
mount to  go  to  Perk's  assistance.  Cuff,  one  of  the 
negroes,  hurried  up  breathless  and  excited.  "  Marse 
Walter!"  he  exclaimed,  "  I'se  mighty  glad  I'se 
found  you.  Marse  'Gene  say  come  dar  right  away. 
We  got  one  cotched,  but  we  needs  help  mighty 
bad." 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  91 

Thinking  that  his  brother  might  be  in  trouble 
(Walter  told  himself  that  that  boy  could  not  be 
easy  unless  he  was  in  some  sort  of  difficulty),  and 
not  doubting  that  Perk,  with  the  greyhound's 
help,  would  be  able  to  manage  his  captive,  Walter 
put  spurs  to  his  horse  and  followed  Cuff,  who  led 
the  way  to  a  ravine  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  dis- 
tant, and  there  he  found  the  mate  to  the  hog  Rex 
had  caught.  He  Avas  almost  as  large,  quite  as  fu- 
rious, and  as  fully  determined  to  have  things  all 
his  own  way.  Eugene  had  thrown  a  rope  around 
one  of  his  hind  legs  and  fastened  it  to  the  nearest 
tree.  He  was  assisted  by  Bab,  the  four  negroes, 
and  six  hounds ;  but  the  hog  seemed  in  a  fair  way 
to  whip  them  all. 

These  hounds  were  unlike  Rex  in  more  respects 
than  one.  Not  possessing  one  quarter  of  his  cou- 
rage, they  were  out  of  place  in  a  rough-and-tumble 
fight — they  could  not  be  depended  upon.  When 
Eugene  shouted  to  them  they  would  catch  the  hog 
and  pull  him  to  the  ground,  and  the  negroes  would 
run  up  to  throw  their  ropes  over  his  head  and 
around  his  legs  ;  but  he  fought  so  desperately  that 
the  hounds  would  let  go  their  hold,  and  then  there 
would  be  a  scattering   that  would  have  been  amu- 


92  THE  spoktsman's  club 

sing  had  the  struggle  been  unattended  with  danger. 
The  hog  seemed  to  care  nothing  for  the  dogs.  He 
tried  hard  to  reach  his  human  enemies,  and  the 
only  thing  that  protected  them  from  his  fury  was 
the  rope — a  piece  of  clothes-line — with  which  he 
was  tied  to  the  tree.  But  even  that  would  not  long 
avail  them,  for,  to  Walter's  intense  horror,  he  saw 
that  some  of  the  strands  had  parted. 

"Eugene  !  Bab  !"  he  cried,  in  a  voice  which  he 
could  scarcely  raise  above  a  whisper,  "  that  rope  is 
breaking.     Run  for  your  lives  !" 

The  words  were  scarcely  spoken  when  the  hog 
made  a  savage  lunge  at  Eugene,  who  happened  to 
be  nearest  him,  and  the  rope,  no  longer  strong 
enough  to  sustain  his  weight,  parted  with  a  loud 
snap.  Eugene's  face  grew  as  pale  as  death.  He 
stood  for  an  instant  as  if  paralyzed,  and  then  turned 
and  took  to  his  heels,  but  before  he  had  made 
a  half  dozen  steps  a  root  caught  his  foot,  and  he 
fell  heavily  to  the  ground. 

A  crv  of  horror  burst  from  all  who  witnessed  the 
peril  of  the  unlucky  young  hunter,  and  Bab  stood 
motionless,  while  Walter  sat  in  his  saddle  looking 
fixedly  at  his  brother  without  possessing  the  power 
to  move  hand  or  foot.     There  was  but  one  thing  be 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  93 

could  do,  and  that  was  to  encourage  the  hounds  to 
catch  the  hog.  That  might  dehay  him  until  Eu- 
gene could  reach  his  horse,  and  then  he  would  be 
safe.  As  soon  as  he  had  recovered  the  use  of  his 
tongue  he  set  up  a  shout,  and  the  dogs  being  well 
trained  and  accustomed  to  obedience,  seized  the 
hog  and  pulled  him  to  the  ground. 

"Now,  then,  run  in  and  catch  him — all  of  us," 
cried  "Walter,  throwing  himself  from  his  saddle. 
"  Be  in  a  hurry,  and  if  you  once  get  a  good  hold 
of  him,  hang  on  with  all  the  strength  you've  got." 

But  before  Bab  or  any  of  the  negroes  had  time 
to  move,  the  hog  scrambled  to  his  feet,  and  shaking 
off  the  dogs  as  easily  as  a  giant  would  shake  off  so 
many  school-boys,  again  started  after  Eugene.  So 
quickly  had  all  this  been  done  that  his  intended 
victim  had  not  yet  arisen  from  the  ground,  and 
before  he  could  think  twice  the  hog  charged  upon 
him  like  a  runaway  locomotive.  0  !  if  Rex  had 
only  been  there,  or  if  Walter  had  had  his  trusty 
double-barrel  in  his  hands  ! 

The  only  weapon  he  could  find  was  a  short  club 
which  happened  to  be  lying  near  him  on  the 
ground,  which,  even  had  he  been  within  striking 
distance  of  the  hog,  would  no  more  have  checked 


91  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

him  in  his  headlong  rush  than  a  straw  would  stem 
the  current  of  Niagara;  still  he  caught  it  up  and 
sprang  forward,  determined  to  save  his  brother  or 
share  in  his  peril,  when,  just  in  the  nick  of  time- 
not  one  single  instant  too  soon — help  arrived,  and 
from  a  source  from  which  he  least  expected  it.  He 
heard  a  yell  of  delight  from  Bab,  a  gray  streak 
flashed  before  his  eyes,  and  just  as  Eugene  put  up 
his  arm  to  ward  oif  the  blow  from  those  terrible 
tusks,  which  were  now  almost  within  an  inch  of  his 
face,  the  hog  was  jerked  backward  and  thrown 
struggling  on  the  ground.  It  was  out  of  his  power 
to  hurt  anybody  then,  for  Rex  the  infallible  had 
him. 

"Hurrah!"  shouted  Eugene,  jumping  to  his 
feet,  "he's  our  hog  now.  Shake  him  up  a  little, 
old  fellow,  to  pay  him  for  the  scare  he  gave  me." 

Rex  did  shake  him  up,  not  only  a  little  but  a 
great  deal ;  and  in  five  minutes  more  the  hog  was 
secured,  his  feet  having  been  fastened  together  so 
that  he  could  not  get  up,  and  his  m,outh  tied  with 
ropes  to  prevent  him  from  using  his  teeth.  But 
even  then  Walter  could  not  help  trembling.  What 
would  have  become  of  his  brother  if  Rex  had  been 
one  minute  later?     His  timely  arrival  had  saved 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  95 

EufT^ene  from  death,  or  at  least  from  horrible 
mutilation,  and  do  you  wonder  that  he  threw  his 
arms  around  that  greyhound's  neck  and  actually 
hu'Tcred  him  ?  Eu^jene  did  not  seem  to  mind  it  in 
the  least.  With  him  the  danger  being  out  of  sight, 
was  out  of  mind.  The  fight  was  over ;  he  had 
come  out  of  it  without  serious  injury ;  and  if  there 
had  been  another  wild  hog  about  he  would  have 
been  the  first  to  start  after  it. 

"  I  am  all  right,  Walter,  don't  look  so  sober,'* 
said  he,  rolling  up  his  sleeve  to  examine  his  arm, 
which  had  been  pretty  severely  bruised  by  his  fall. 
"Now,  then,  where  are  Perk  and  Featherweight?" 

"  I  haven't  seen  Featherweight,"  replied  Walter, 
"but  I  left  Perk  and  Rex  attending  to  the  mate 
of  this  hog.  We'll  go  and  meet  him.  Bring  up 
the  cart,  Cuif,  and  take  care  of  the  game." 

The  three  hunters  mounted  their  horses  and  rode 
back  to  find  Perk.  As  they  were  considerably 
wearied  by  their  recent  exertions,  they  allowed 
their  horses  to  walk  leisurely  along,  and  they  were 
probably  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  reaching  the  spot 
where  Walter  had  first  discovered  Rex  and  liis  huge 
antagonist.  They  saw  no  signs  of  Perk,  and  neither 
did  they  hear  anything  of  him  ;  and  they  concluded 


96  THE  sportsman's  club 

that  he  had  tied  his  hog  and  sat  down  to  wait  for 
them.  They  soon  learned,  however,  that  their 
friend  was  not  taking  matters  quite  so  easily  as 
they  had  imagined,  and  that  there  were  things  in 
the  world  against  which  even  Perk,  with  all  his 
strength,  activity  and  courage  could  not  prevail ; 
for,  when  they  reached  the  clearest  space  in  the 
thicket  of  briers  and  cane  where  Walter  had  left 
him,  they  saw  a  sight  that  filled  them  with  amaze- 
ment and  alarm.  It  was  nothing  less  than  a  fight 
between  Perk  and  the  hog.  The  young  hunter  was 
holding  his  antagonist  by  both  hind  feet,  and  the 
hog  was  kicking  and  struggling  and  trying  hard  to 
get  at  Perk  to  strike  him.  The  latter's  face  was 
white  with  terror,  the  perspiration  was  streaming 
from  his  forehead,  and  the  boys  saw  that  it  was 
with  the  greatest  difl[iculty  that  he  could  retain  his 
hold.  He  looked  up  when  he  heard  them  approach- 
ing, but  was  too  exhausted  to  speak. 

Walter  and  his  companions,  comprehending  the 
state  of  affairs  at  a  glance,  threw  themselves  from 
their  horses  and  hurried  to  Perk's  assistance ;  but 
knowing  that  if  he  could  not  manage  the  hog  they 
had  no  business  with  him,  they  shouted  lustily  for 
Rex.     The   faithful  animal  was  always   on   hand 


Perk  ix  a  Predicamknt. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  97 

when  he  was  wanted,  and  before  thej  had  spoken 
his  name  the  second  time  he  came  dashing  through 
the  bushes  and  seized  the  hog,  just  as  Perk,  com- 
pletely exhausted,  released  his  hold  and  sank  to 
the  ground.  The  hog  fought  desperately  with  his 
new  enemies,  but  Rex  was  more  than  a  match  for 
him,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  boys  had  him  securely 
bound.  After  that  they  tied  up  his  mouth,  and 
then  turned  their  attention  to  Perk,  who  lay  where 
he  had  fallen,  panting  loudly  and  utterly  unable  to 
move  or  speak.  They  carried  him  out  of  the  thicket 
and  laid  him  upon  their  overcoats,  which  they 
spread  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and  while  Walter  sup- 
ported his  head  and  Bab  fanned  him  with  his  hat, 
Eugene  ran  to  the  bayou  and  presently  returned 
with  a  cup  of  water. 

"  I'm  clean  done  out,"  panted  Perk,  when  he  had 
drained  the  cup.  "Now,  listen  to  me  a  moment 
and  I'll  tell  you  something ;  that  was  the  hardest 
fight  I  ever  had.  Just  look  at  that,"  he  added, 
extending  his  hands,  which  were  so  badly  cramped 
that  he  could  not  open  them. 

It   was  fully  half  an  hour    before  Perk's    face 

resumed  its  natural  color,   and  then  he   told   his 

companions  bow  he  had  got  into  the  predicament 
7 


98  THE  sportsman's  club 

in  which  they  found  him.  As  he  had  a  somewhat 
round-about  way  of  getting  at  it,  we  will  tell  the 
Btory  in  our  own  words  ;  and  in  order  that  you  may 
fully  understand  it,  we  must  give  you  a  little  insight 
into  Rex's  character. 

The  greyhound  had  but  two  faults  in  the  world : 
He  was  a  constitutional  thief,  and  he  always  kept 
as  close  to  Walter  as  he  could.  He  was  master  of 
all  the  hounds  on  the  plantation,  and  if  he  caught 
any  of  them  in  the  act  of  appropriating  articles 
that  did  not  belong  to  them,  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
thrash  them  soundly ;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time, 
he  stole  more  than  all  the  other  dogs  put  together. 
He  would  sneak  into  the  kitchen  when  he  thought 
no  one  was  observing  his  movements,  and  purloin 
any  eatables  that  happened  to  be  within  his  reach ; 
and  as  for  hens'  nests,  the  Club  used  to  say  that 
he  would  have  nosed  out  one  on  top  of  the  house, 
and  conjured  up  some  plan  to  rob  it.  Walter  tried 
every  way  he  could  think  of  to  make  an  honest  dog 
of  him,  and  to  induce  him  to  abandon  this  bad 
habit.  He  fed  him  until  he  refused  to  eat  any  more, 
thinking  that  he  would  certainly  have  no  inclma- 
tion  to  steal  for  at  least  an  hour  or  two ;  but  in 
less  than  ten  minutes  he  would  hear   a  rumpus  in 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  99 

the  kitchen,  and  see  Rex  retreating  toward  the 
barn  followed  hj  a  shower  of  stove-wood.  The 
habit  could  not  be  broken  up — it  was  constitutional. 

The  other  habit  was  almost  as  annoying  on  some 
occasions  as  the  first.  Rex  kept  close  at  his  mas- 
ter's side  night  and  day.  He  would  sleep  in  his 
room  if  he  left  his  door  open,  and  if  he  did  not, 
Rex  would  jump  up  on  the  wood-shed,  thence  on  to 
the  kitchen,  from  which  he  could  easily  reach  the 
upper  porch,  that  ran  entirely  around  the  main 
building,  and  so  go  in  at  the  window.  It  made  no 
difference  to  him  whether  the  window  was  open  or 
not,  for  he  had  been  known  to  jump  through  the 
sash.  He  was  regular  in  his  attendance  at  church, 
and  whenever  Walter  went  visiting,  Rex  always 
went  too.  He  seemed  to  take  it  for  granted  that 
he  was  welcome  wherever  his  master  was,  and  if 
any  one  thought  differently,  and  attempted  to  drive 
him  out  of  the  house,  he  would  stand  his  ground, 
and  show  his  teeth  in  the  most  threatening  manner. 
As  it  was  well  known  throughout  the  settlement 
that  Rex  always  used  those  teeth  on  anything  that 
he  got  angry  at,  he  was  generally  allowed  to  have 
his  own  way. 

It  was  this  habit  that  had  saved  Eugene's  life^ 


100  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

and  placed  Perk  in  his  dangerous  predicament, 
While  Walter  remained  with  him,  Rex  clung  to  the 
game  manfully ;  but  when  he  went  away  to  assist 
Eugene,  Rex  went  too,  leaving  Perk  to  manage  the 
hog  as  best  he  could.  The  latter,  having  great  con- 
fidence in  his  endurance  and  power  of  muscle,  did 
not  at  first  feel  at  all  uneasy ;  but  it  was  not  long 
before  he  discovered  that  a  hog,  weighing  three 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  was  an  ugly  customer  to 
handle.  He  held  the  animal  by  his  hind  legs,  which 
he  had  lifted  fr(*"n  the  ground,  and  it  required  the 
outlay  of  every  particle  of  strength  he  possessed 
to  retain  his  hold.  He  could  not  manage  the  hog 
with  one  hand,  and,  of  course,  while  both  his  hands 
were  employed  he  could  not  tie  him. 

Bear  in  mind,  now,  that  this  was  no  tame  hog, 
that  would  have  run  away  if  Perk  had  released 
him.  He  was  wild,  savage  and  angry ;  and  if  he 
could  have  reached  his  enemy  the  career  of  one  of 
the  Sportsman's  Club  would  have  been  brought  to 
a  sudden  close.  The  hog  would  have  attacked  him 
at  once,  and  Perk  would  have  been  easily  over- 
come. 

The  young  hunter  became  alarmed  when  he  saw 
what  a  scrape  he  had  got  into,  and  began  shoutin^g 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  lOl 

for  help ;  but  the  rest  of  the  Club  were  too  far 
away  to  hear  him,  and  finding  that  he  was  wasting 
his  breath  to  no  purpose,  he  did  the  only  thing  he 
could  do — he  held  fast  to  save  his  life.  Walter 
was  gone  fully  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and 
during  all  this  time  Perk  clung  to  that  savage 
beast,  afraid  to  let  go,  and  almost  unable  to  hold 
on.  His  companions  arrived  just  in  time  to  save 
him ;  a  moment  more  would  have  sealed  his  fate. 
Perk  had  a  high  opinion  of  a  hog's  strength  and 
endurance  now,  and  w^ound  up  his  story  by  declar- 
ing that  he  would  a  heap  sooner  face  a  bear. 

"  I  believe  I  own  more  property  now  than  I  did 
this  morning,"  said  Walter,  when  Perk  ceased 
speaking.  "  I  think  I  heard  you  say  that  if  you 
couldn't  tie  any  hog  that  ever  ran  wild  in  Lousiana, 
you  would  make  me  a  present  of  your  horse.  I 
consider  the  animal  mine,  but  you  may  use  him 
until  you  can  provide  yourself  with  another.  Can 
any  one  tell  what  has  become  of  Featherweight  ?". 

No  one  could.  Eugene  said  that  when  the 
hounds  first  discovered  the  wild  hogs,  he  and  the 
missing  member  were  riding  side  by  side  ;  and  that 
the  last  time  he  saw  Featherw^eight  he  was  galloping 
through  the  bushes  at  the  top  of  his  speed.    Every 


102  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

one  wondered  what  had  become  of  him.  There 
was  plenty  of  room  in  the  swamp  for  him  to  get 
lost,  but  still  it  was  not  likely  that  such  a  misfor- 
tune had  befallen  him,  for  Featherweight  had 
hunted  over  the  ground  so  often  that  he  knew  it  like 
a  book.  Bab  suggested  that  it  would  be  a  good 
plan  for  some  one  to  sound  a  horn,  and  Eugene  did 
so;  but  no  response  came.  Again  and  again  the 
horn  was  blown,  and  finally  they  heard  an  answer, 
but  it  was  not  such  as  they  expected.  It  was  the 
shrill  neigh  of  a  horse  which  rang  through  the 
swamps  at  short  intervals,  and  came  nearer  and 
nearer  every  moment.  The  Club  began  to  look  at 
one  another  rather  anxiously  ;  and  when  at  last  a 
riderless  pony — Featherweight's  pony — burst  from 
the  bushes  and  galloped  up  to  the  place  where  their 
own  horses  were  standing,  the  boys  were  really 
alarmed.  Something  had  certainly  happened  to 
their  friend ;  but  whether  he  had  been  thrown  from 
his  horse  or  had  met  with  some  more  serious  trouble, 
they  had  no  means  of  judging. 

"  We  must  start  in  search  of  him  at  once,"  said 
AV alter.  "  Cuff,"  he  added,  addressing  himself  to 
the  negro  who  at  that  moment  drove  up  with  the 
cart   in   which   lay   the   two   wild   hogs,  securely 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  103 

bound ;  "  tie  that  horse  behind  your  wagon,  take 
hini  to  the  house  with  you,  and  tell  father  that 
Fred  Craven  is  missing,  and  that  we  are  looking 
for  him.  If  we  are  not  at  home  before  dark  he  will 
know  what  detains  us." 

The  boys  did  not  reach  home  before  dark.  It 
was  long  after  midnight  when  they  entered  their 
room  and  sat  down  before  the  fire  to  dry  their 
clothes,  which  w^ere  covered  with  mud ;  and  they 
did  not  bring  Featherweight  with  them,  and  neither 
had  he  come  home  during  their  absence.  Bright 
and  early  the  next  morning  they  renewed  their 
search,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Gaylord,  Uncle  Dick, 
and  some  of  the  negroes.  As  they  were  riding 
through  the  quarters  they  met  the  old  servant 
whose  duty  it  was  to  feed  and  take  care  of  the 
hounds,  and  he  told  them  that  Featherweight's  dog 
had  come  home  during  the  night  all  cut  to  pieces, 
and  so  weak  from  loss  of  blood  that  he  could 
scarcely  stand.  He  declared  that  the  mischief  had 
been  done  by  a  wild  hog,  and  expressed  the  fear 
that  Featherweight  might  have  been  injured  also. 
The  boys  were  greatly  terrified  by  this  piece  of 
news.  They  went  to  the  kennels  to  look  at  the 
hound,  which  had  been  wrapped  up  in  blankets  and 


104  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

tended  as  carefully  as  though  he  were  a  human 
being,  and  then  set  out  for  the  woods. 

They  rode  all  that  day,  and  not  only  did  they 
fail  to  find  Featherweight,  but  they  did  not  see 
anybody  until  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
Then  Walter  and  Perk,  who  had  separated  from 
the  others,  came  suddenly  upon  some  one  they  did 
not  expect  to  see.  It  was  Wilson,  but  at  first  they 
did  not  know  him.  His  hands  and  face  were  as 
black  as  a  negro's,  his  clothing  was  torn  and  cover- 
ed with  soot,  and,  taken  altogether,  he  was  the 
worst-looking  boy  they  had  ever  seen.  They  saw 
at  a  glance  that  he  had  been  in  close  quarters 
Bomewhere. 


IN  THE   SADDLE.  105 


CHAPTER  VI. 

bayard's  plans. 

A  N  angrier  boy  than  Bayard  Bell  was,  -wnen  he 
leaped  his  horse  over  the  fence  and  rode  away 
from  the  thicket,  w^hich  had  so  nearly  been  the 
scene  of  a  desperate  conflict  between  his  followers 
and  the  members  of  the  Sportsman's  Club,  was 
never  seen  anywhere.  He  told  himself  over  and 
over  again  that  Walter  Gaylord  had  insulted  him 
(although  how  he  had  done  so,  it  would  have  puzzled 
a^sensible  boy  to  determine),  and  declared  that  he 
had  done  it  for  the  last  time,  and  that  he  had  put 
up  with  his  meanness  just  as  long  as  he  could. 
Although  Perk  had  said,  almost  in  so  many  words, 
that  he  w^as  willing  and  even  eager  to  fight,  and 
Bab,  Eugene  and  Featherweight  had  shown  by 
their  actions  that  they  were  ready  to  stand  by  their 
friend  to  the  last,  Bayard  did  not  waste  a  thought 
upon  them,  but  laid  all  the  blame  upon  Walter,  who 
had    conducted   himself  like  a    young    gentleman 


106  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

during  tlie  whole  interview,  and  kept  himself  in 
the  back-ground  as  much  as  possible.  The  reason 
for  this  was,  that  Bayard  had  long  ago  learned  to 
hate  Walter  most  cordially ;  and  the  cause  of  this 
hatred  was  the  latter's  popularity  among  the 
students  at  the  Academy.  Bayard,  like  many  a 
boy  of  our  acquaintance,  desired  to  be  first  in 
everything.  He  wanted  the  students  to  look  up  to 
him  and  treat  him  with  respect,  and  yet  he  was  not 
willing  to  make  any  exertions  to  bring  about  this 
fetate  of  affairs.  Besides  being  stingy  and  unaccom- 
modating,' he  showed  his  tyrannical  disposition  at 
every  opportunity,  and  then  wondered  why  he  had 
so  few  friends.  Walter,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
modest  and  unassuming,  never  tried  to  push  him- 
self forward,  was  always  polite  to  his  companions, 
and  would  put  himself  to  any  amount  of  trouble  to 
do  a  favor  for  one  of  them.  The  result  was  that, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  congenial  spirits  whom 
Bayard  had  gathered  about  him,  the  boys  all  liked 
him,  and  showed  it  by  every  means  in  their  power. 
The  more  Bayard  thought  of  it  the  angrier  he 
became. 

"  They're  conceited   upstarts,  the  whole  lot  of 
them,"  said  he,  turning  around  in  his  saddle  to  face 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  107 

his  companions,  who  were  galloping  along  behind 
him.  "  It's  luckj  for  them  that  Mr.  Gaylord  and 
those  niggers  came  up  just  as  thej  did,  for  I  was 
going  to  punch  some  of  them." 

*'  Perhaps  it  is  fortunate  for  us  that  the  fight 
didn't  come  off,"  said  Leonard  Wilson,  who,  if  ho 
had  no  other  qualities,  was  at  least  honest.  "  Did 
you  hear  w^hat  Perkins  said  about  knocking  our 
heads  together  ?" 

^'  0,  he  wouldn't  have  done  it,"  said  Will  Bell, 
with  a  sneer;  "he  couldn't.  He's  a  regular  milk- 
sop, and  so  are  they  all." 

"Well,  if  they  are,  I  don't  know  it,"  said  Wil- 
son. 

"No,  nor  nobody  else,"  chimed  in  Henry  Chase. 
"  That  Phil  Perkins  is  a  perfect  lion,  and  Walter 
Gaylord  isn't  a  bit  behind  him.  What  a  lovely 
muscle  Walter  showed  on  the  day  we  pulled  that 
boat-race  !  W^hy,  it  was  as  large  as  the  boxing- 
master's.  And  what  long  wind  he  has  !  And  can't 
he  pick  up  his  feet,  though,  when  he  is  running  the 
bases  ?" 

Bayard  looked  sharply  at  Chase,  and  made  no 
reply.  He  had  commenced  by  abusing  and  threat- 
ening the  Sportsman's  Club,  and   expected  to  be 


108  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

assisted  in  it  Lj  his  men ;  but  here  was  Chase  prais- 
ing his  rival  up  to  the  skies,  and  Wilson  nodding 
his  head  approvingly,  as  much  as  to  say  that  he 
fully  agreed  with  his  companion,  and  that  every 
word  he  uttered  was  the  truth.  Bayard  was  very 
much  disgusted  at  this,  and  showed  it  by  facing 
about  in  his  saddle,  and  maintaining  a  sullen  silence 
for  the  next  quarter  of  an  hour.  The  deep  scowl 
on  his  forehead  indicated  that  he  was  thinking 
busily,  and  his  thoughts  dwelt  quite  as  much  upon 
two  of  the  boys  who  were  galloping  along  the 
muddy  lane  behind  him,  as  they  did  upon  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Sportsman's  Club.  At  last  he  seemed 
to  have  decided  upon  something,  for  he  straight- 
ened up,  and  began  to  look  about  him. 

"  Fellows,"  said  he,  "  we  are  but  a  short  distance 
from  the  bayou,  and  I  propose  that  we  ride  over 
there,  water  our  horses,  and  eat  our  lunch.  I'm 
hungry." 

"So  am  I,"  replied  Will;  "but  I'd  rather  go 
home.  I  can't  see  any  fun  in  sitting  down  in  the 
mud,  and  eating  cold  bread  and  meat,  when  there 
are  a  comfortable  room  and  a  warm  dinner  await- 
ing us  only  three  miles  away,'* 

Bayard  paid  no  more  attention  to  his  cousin's 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  109 

words  tlian  if  they  had  not  been  spoken  at  all,  but 
turned  his  horse  out  of  the  lane  into  the  bushes, 
and  rode  toward  the  bayou.  His  companijns  hesi- 
tated a  little,  and  then  followed  after  him ;  and  in 
a  few  minutes  more  they  were  sitting  on  the  banks 
of  the  stream  discussing  their  sandwiches,  and 
gazing  into  the  water,  as  if  they  saw  something 
there  that  interested  them  very  much.  No  one 
spoke,  for  Bayard  was  in  the  sulks j^  and  that  threw 
a  o-loom  over  them  all. 

If  Bayard  was  hungry  his  actions  did  not  show 
it,  for  he  ate  but  a  very  few  mouthfuls  of  his  sand- 
wich, and  finally,  with  an  exclamation  of  impa- 
tience, threw  it  into  the  water.  The  movement 
attracted  the  attention  of  his  cousins,  and  that 
seemed  to  be  just  what  Bayard  wanted,  for  he  began 
to  make  some  mysterious  signs  to  them,  at  the  same 
time  nodding  his  head  toward  the  bushes,  indicat- 
ing a  desire  to  say  a  word  to  them  in  private. 

Will  and  Seth  must  have  understood  him,  for 
they  winked  significantly,  and  went  on  eating  their 
sandwiches,  while  Bayard,  after  yawning  and 
stretching  his  arms,  arose  to  his  feet  and  walked 
up  the  bayou  out  of  sight.  As  soon  as  he  thought 
be  could  do  so  without  exciting  suspicion,  Will  fol- 


110  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

lowed  him ;  and  shortly  afterward  Seth  also  dis- 
appeared. Wilson  and  Chase  gazed  after  him  curi- 
ously, and  as  soon  as  the  sound  of  his  footsteps  had 
died  away,  turned  and  looked  at  one  another. 
"What's  up?"  asked  the  latter. 

"  That's  a  question  I  can't  answer,"  replied 
Wilson.  "  They're  going  to  hold  a  consultation 
about  something." 

"Or  somebody,"  observed  Chase.  "I  believe 
you  and  I  will  be  the  subjects  of  their  deliberations 
— in  fac-t  I  know  it.  Didn't  you  see  how  angry 
Bayard  looked  over  Avhat  we  said  about  Walter  and 
his  crowd  ?  I  know  him  too  well  to  believe  that  he 
will  allow  that  to  pass  unnoticed.  He's  up  to  some 
trick  now,  and  if  we  creep  through  the  bushes  very 
carefully  we  can  find  out  what  it  is.  We'd  be 
playing  eavesdropper  though,  and  that  would  be 
mean,  wouldn't  it?" 

"  I  don't  see  that  it  would.  When  one  knows 
that  a  fellow  like  Bayard  Bell,  who  is  bad  enough 
for  anything,  is  laying  plans  against  him,  he  has  a 
perfect  right  to  resort  to  any  measures  to  find  out 
what  those  plans  are.  Come  on  ;  I'll  go  if  you 
will." 

Chase,  needing  no  second  invitation,  arose  to  his 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  Ill 

feet  and  stole  up  the  bayou  in  the  direction  Bayard 
and  his  friends  had  gone,  closely  followed  by  Wil- 
son. They  moved  very  cautiously,  and  presently 
arrived  within  hearing  of  the  voices  of  the  three 
conspirators,  for  such  they  believed  them  to  be.  A 
few  seconds  afterward  they  came  within  sight  of 
them,  and  found  them  seated  in  a  little  thicket 
which  grew  on  the  bank  of  the  bayou,  engaged  in 
an  earnest  conversation.  So  deeply  interested  were 
they  in  what  they  were  saying  that  they  thought  of 
nothing  else,  and  the  two  eavesdroppers  approached 
within  twenty  yards  of  them,  and  took  up  a  posi- 
tion from  which  they  could  observe  their  movements 
and  hear  every  word  that  was  said.  Bayard  was 
talking  rapidly,  and  the  others  were  listening  with 
an  expression  of  intense  astonishment  on  their 
faces  ;  and  Chase  and  Wilson  had  not  been  long  in 
their  concealment  before  they  began  to  be  aston- 
ished too. 

"  Everything  I  tell  you  is  the  truth,"  said  Bayard, 
emphatically.  *'  There  is  scarcely  a  person  in  the 
settlement  who  does  not  know  that  there  is  such  an 
organization  in  existence ;  but  I  do  not  suppose 
there  is  any  one  outside  of  the  band  who  knows 
who  the  members  are  except  myself.     J  know  three 


112  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

of  them,  and  I  found  them  out  bj  accident.     They 
are  the  ones  who  must  do  this  work  for  us." 

"Must!"  repeated  Seth. 

"  Yes,  thej  must^  whether  they  are  willing  or 
not." 

"  Have  you  spoken  to  them  about  it?" 

"  No,  I  have  not  had  a  chance." 

"  Why,  you  said  you  had  got  matters  all 
arranged  !"  said  Will. 

"  I  told  you  that  in  less  than  two  days  Walter 
Gaylord  would  find  himself  miles  and  miles  at  sea, 
with  a  fair  prospect  of  never  seeing  Louisiana 
again,"  replied  Bayard.  "  It's  lucky  I  didn't  tell 
you  any  more,  for  you,  Seth,  came  near  blabbing 
it  on  two  different  occasions.  You  never  could 
keep  anything  to  yourself." 

"  I  didn't  intend  to  tell  them  what  we  are  going 
to  do  to  them,"  retorted  Seth,  with  some  spirit. 
*'  I  only  wanted  to  give  them  to  understand  that 
we  have  laid  our  plans  to  punish  them  in  some 
way." 

"  And  so  put  them  on  their  guard !"  snarled 
Bayard.  "  That's  a  pretty  way  to  do  business, 
isn't  it?     Now,  unless   vou    promise  faithfully  to 


IN   THE  RADDLE.  113 

keep  everything  I  tell  you  a  profound  secret,  I 
won't  say  another  word." 

^' I  promise,"  said  Seth,  readily. 

"  So  do  I,"  chimed  in  Will. 

"  Well,  then,  I  will  tell  you  how  I  came  to  find 
out  about  these  smugglers,"  continued  Bayard, 
settling  back  on  his  elbow.  "  It  happened  last 
summer,  shortly  after  that  boat-race.  I  felt  so 
mean  over  our  defeat  that  I  wanted  to  keep  away 
from  everybody,  and  you  know  that  I  left  the 
Academy  and  came  home.  One  day  I  took  my 
gun  and  strolled  out  into  the  swamp.  At  noon  I 
found  myself  about  ten  miles  from  home,  and  on 
the  bank  of  a  little  stream  which  emptied  into  the 
bay.  I  stopped  there  to  rest,  and  after  eating  my 
lunch,  stretched  myself  out  on  the  leaves  and  was 
fast  going  off  into  a  doze,  when  I  was  aroused  by 
the  sound  of  oars  ;  and,  upon  looking  up,  saw  a  large 
yawl  just  entering  the  bayou.  There  were  three 
men  in  it,  and  they  were  Coulte  and  his  two  sons." 

**  Coulte  !"  exclaimed  Will,  in  amazement.  "  The 
old  hunter?" 

"  And  his  two  sons  !"  echoed  Seth.  "  Are  they 
smugglers  ?" 

"  Let  me  tell  my  story  without  interruption,  if 
8 


114  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

you  please,"  said  Bayard,  impatiently.  "  You  will 
know  as  much  about  it  as  I  do  when  I  am  done. 
I  wondered  what  they  could  be  doing  there,"  he 
continued,  "  and  raised  myself  to  a  sitting  posture, 
intending  to  speak  to  them  when  they  came  up, 
and  would  have  done  so,  had  I  not  noticed  that 
they  were  very  stealthy  in  their  movements,  and 
that  they  did  not  pull  the  boat  into  the  bayou 
until  they  had  looked  up  and  down  the  bay,  to 
make  sure  that  there  was  no  one  watching  them. 

"Now,  when  one  man  sees  another  sneaking 
about,  and  showing  by  every  action  that  he  is 
anxious  to  escape  observation,  it  is  natural  that  he 
should  want  to  see  what  he  is  going  to  do.  I  did 
not  suppose  that  Coulte  was  up  to  any  mischief, 
for,  like  everybody  else  in  the  settlement,  I  believed 
him  to  be  an  honest  old  fellow;  but  I  knew  that  he 
did  not  want  to  be  seen,  and  that  was  enough  for 
me.  As  quick  as  thought  I  slipped  behind  a  tree, 
whose  high,  spreading  roots  afforded  me  an  excel- 
lent concealment,  and  lying  flat  upon  the  ground, 
looked  over  into  the  bayou,  and  watched  the  three 
men  in  the  yawl  as  closely  as  ever  a  panther 
watched  his  prey.  They  seemed  to  be  satisfied  at 
last  that  there  was  no  one  in  sight,  for  they  pulled 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  115 

quickly  into  tlie  bayou  and  stopped  on  the  opposite 
shore,  directly  in  front  of  me.  The  bank,  at  that 
particular  place,  was  about  twenty  feet  in  height, 
and  was  partially  concealed  by  thick  bushes,  which 
grew  up  out  of  the  water.  When  the  boat  stopped 
Coulte  raised  his  oar  and  thrust  it  into  the  bushes, 
where  it  came  in  contact  with  something  that  gave 
out  a  hollow  sound.  He  struck  three  blows,  and 
after  waiting  a  moment  struck  three  more  ;  and 
presently  I  heard  something  that  sounded  like  an 
answering  knock  on  the  other  side  of  the  bushes. 
Coulte  replied  with  two  knocks,  and  I  distinctly 
heard  a  latch  raised  and  a  door  opened — although 
where  the  door  was  I  do  not  know — and  a  voice 
inquired  : 

*' '  How's  the  wind  to-day  ?" 

*' '  South-south-west,'  replied  Coulte,  in  his  bro- 
ken English. 

"  *  How  was  it  last  night  V 

" '  North-north-east.' 

"  *  Where  from  ?'  asked  the  voice. 

"  ^  Havana,  Galveston,  and  New  Orleans.* 

"^Whither  bound?' 

"  *  Here,  and  there,  and  everywhere.'  " 

"What  did  they  mean  by  talking   that  way?'* 


116  THE    sportsman's   CLUB 

asked  Seth,  "who  had  listened  eagerly  to  his  cousin's 
Btory,  but  with  an  expression  on  his  face  which  said 
plainly  that  he  did  not  believe  a  word  of  it.  "  I 
can't  make  any  sense  out  of  it." 

"Neither  could  I — neither  could  anybody,"  re- 
plied Bayard,  "  not  even  if  he  were  a  member  of 
the  organization,  because  there  is  no  sense  in  it. 
But  there  was  use  in  it,  for  the  man  on  the  other 
side  of  the  bushes  knew  that  Coulte  was  one  of  the 
smugglers  by  the  way  he  answered  the  questions ; 
at  least  I  thought  he  was  satisfied  of  it,  for  ho 
pulled  aside  the  bushes  and  showed  himself.  He 
shook  hands  with  the  men  in  the  yawl,  and  began 
a  conversation  with  them.  I  heard  every  word 
that  was  said,  but  the  only  information  I  gained 
was,  that  Coulte's  two  sons  were  employed  as  fore- 
mast hands  on  board  the  vessel  in  which  the  smug- 
gling is  carried  on.  When  the  conversation  was 
ended,  Coulte  passed  out  some  bales  and  boxes  he 
had  brought  in  his  yawl,  and  then  got  out  his  oars 
and  pulled  down  the  bayou." 

"  What  do  you  suppose  was  on  the  other  side  of 
those  bushes?"  asked  Will,  after  a  long  pause. 

"  I  am  sure  I  don't  know,  unless  it  was  a  cave 
where  the  smugglers  stowed  away  their  goods." 


IN   THE    SADDLi!.  117 

"What's  tLe  reason  you  have  never  told  this 
before  ?"  inquired  Seth.  "  Why  didn't  you  go 
straight  to  your  father  with  the  news,  and  have 
him  put  the  authorities  on  the  lookout  ?  Don't  you 
know  that  there  is  a  heavy  reward  offered  for  any 
information  that  will  lead  to  the  breaking  up  of 
this  band?" 

"I  do,"  replied  Bayard,  leaning  toward  his 
cousins  and  sinking  his  voice  almost  to  a  whisper, 
"  but  I  don't  want  the  band  broken  up.  I  may 
join  it  myself  sometime." 

"  You  !"  cried  his  auditors,  starting  back  in  sur- 
prise. 

"  Yes,  I ;  that  is  if  they  will  take  me ;  and  if 
they  won't,  I  will  blow  the  whole  thing.  Here's 
where  I  have  the  advantage  of  them,  and  that's  the 
way  I  am  going  to  induce  Coulte  to  help  us  carry 
out  our  plans  against  Walter  Gaylord.  We'll  ride 
over  and  call  on  the  old  fellow  this  very  afternoon, 
and  tell  him  that  we  want  him  and  his  boys  to  make 
a  prisoner  of  Walter  at  the  very  first  opportunity, 
take  him  on  board  their  vessel,  carry  him  to  the 
West  Indies,  and  lose  him  there  so  effectually  that 
he  will  never  find  his  way  home  again." 

As  Bayard  eaid  this  he  settled  back  on  his  elbow 


118  THE    sportsman's   CLUB 

and  looked  at  his  cousins,  and  Seth  and  Will,  too 
astonished  to  speak,  settled  back  on  their  elbows 
and  looked  at  him.  They  had  always  known  that 
Bayard  was  cruel  and  vindictive,  but  they  had 
never  dreamed  that  he  could  conceive  of  a  plan 
like  this.  How  coolly  he  talked  about  it,  and  how 
confident  he  seemed  of  success  ! 

*'  I  flatter  myself  that  this  is  a  grand  idea,  and 
one  that  nobody  else  in  the  world  would  ever  have 
thought  of,"  continued  Bayard. 

"You're -right  there,"  replied  Will.  "I  don't 
suppose  you  have  thought  of  the  obstacles  in  your 
way  ?" 

"  You  can't  mention  one  that  I  have  not  thought 
of  and  provided  for.     Try  it." 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place,  suppose  that  Coulte 
declines  to  assist  you  in  carrying  out  your  plans  ? 
He  likes  Walter." 

"  He  likes  his  liberty  better.  If  he  refuses  I  will 
just  say  'law'  to  him,  and  that  will  bring  him  to 
terms." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Will,  hesitatingly,  as  if  he  did 
not  like  to  yield  the  point.  "  In  the  next  place, 
cuppose  that  Coulte  agrees  to  comply  w^ith  your 
demands  and  captures  Walter,  and  the  rest  of  the 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  119 

crew  (I  do  not  believe  that  Coulte's  t^^o  sons  com- 
prise the  entire  company  of  the  smuggling  vessel), 
refuse  to  take  him  to  the  West  Indies ;  what 
then  ?" 

"  No  one  except  Coulte  and  his  sons  need  know 
anything  about  it.  They  can  smuggle  Walter  on 
board  at  night,  as  if  he  were  a  bale  of  contraband 
goods,  and  keep  him  concealed  until  the  vessel 
reaches  its  destination." 

"  And  then  he  will  be  set  at  liberty,  and  the  first 
thing  you  know  he  will  come  back  here  a  hero,  and 
you  and  Coulte  will  find  yourselves  in  hot  water," 
exclaimed  Will.  "  That  will  be  the  upshot  of  the 
whole  matter.  I  don't  like  those  boys  any  better 
than  you  do,  and  should  be  glad  to  see  them 
brought  up  with  a  round  turn ;  but  this  thing  won't 
work." 

"  Don't  I  tell  you  that  one  part  of  my  plan  is  to 
lose  him  so  that  he  will  never  find  his  way  back 
here?"  asked  Bayard,  angrily.  "You  are  very 
dull,  both  of  you." 

"I  am  not,"  said  Seth;  "I  understand  it  all, 
and  begin  to  think  that  it  will  prove  a  complete 
success.     I  never  could  have  studied  up  a  scheme 


120  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

like  that.  It  almost  takes  my  breath  away  to  think 
of  it." 

*^  I  know  it  will  be  successful,"  said  Bayard,  confi- 
dently;  ^'  and  if  you  will  ride  over  to  Coulte's  with 
me,  I  will  convince  you  of  it  in  less  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  after  we  get  there." 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  Chase  and  Wilson  ?" 
asked  Seth.  "Are  you  going  to  take  them  into 
your  confidence  ?" 

"  Of  course  not.  We  must  get  rid  of  them  imme- 
diately ;  for  if  they  remain  with  us  they  will  want 
to  accompany  us  to  Coulte's,  and  that  is  something 
we  can't  allow.  We'll  raise  a  quarrel  with  them. 
We'll  ask  them  what  they  meant  by  praising  Walter 
and  his  crowd  a  little  while  ago,  and  as  they  are 
very  independent  and  spunky,  they  will  be  sure  to 
give  us  some  impudence.  When  they  do  that,  we'll 
tell  them  that  we  have  seen  quite  enough  of  them, 
and  that  they  can  just  pack  up  their  traps  and  go 
home." 

"  It's  almost  too  bad  to  go  back  on  them  in  that 
way,"  said  Seth.  *' They've  stuck  to  us  like 
bricks." 

"And  if  you  send  them  off  it  will  break  up  oar 
society  and  boat-club,"  said  Will. 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  121 

"No  matter  for  that.  The  society  and  boat- 
club  must  not  stand  in  the  way  of  this  plan.  I  am 
going  to  carry  it  out  if  I  lose  every  friend  I've  got 
by  it.  You  can  stick  to  me  or  not,  just  as  you 
please." 

As  Bayard  said  this  he  arose  to  his  feet,  indi- 
cating a  desire  to  bring  the  interview  to  a  close, 
and  Chase  and  Wilson  retreated  backward  until 
they  were  out  of  sight  of  the  conspirators,  and  then 
took  to  their  heels.  They  made  the  best  of  their 
way  to  the  place  w^here  they  had  left  their  horses, 
and  when  Bayard  and  his  cousins  came  in  sight 
they  were  sitting  on  the  bank  of  the  bayou,  looking 
steadily  into  the  water.  Something  in  their  faces 
must  have  aroused  Bayard's  suspicions,  for  he 
glanced  from  one  to  the  other  and  demanded : 

"  What's  the  matter  with  you  fellows  ?" 

"Nothing,"  replied  Chase,  sullenly. 

"  I  know  better,"  cried  Bayard. 

"  So  do  I !"  exclaimed  Seth.  "  Something's  the 
matter  with  you,  or  you  would  not  have  stood  up 
for  Walter  and  his  crowd  as  you  did  a  while  ago. 
We  think  hard  of  you  for  that,  and  want  to  know 
what  you  meant  by  it.     It  would  serve  you  just 


122  THE  sportsman's  club 

riglit  if  we  should  put  you  where  we're  going  to 
put " 

When  Seth's  tongue  was  once  in  motion  he 
seemed  to  lose  all  control  over  it.  He  was  on  the 
very  point  of  divulging  the  secret  which  he  had  so 
faithfully  promised  to  keep  inviolate  ;  but  an  angry 
glance  from  Bayard,  and  a  timely  pinch  from  his 
brother,  cut  short  his  words. 

"  We  haven't  said  or  done  anything  that  we  arc 
ashamed  of,"  declared  Chase.  "If  you  don't  like 
us  or  our  ways,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  tell  us  so." 

"  Well,  we  don't.     There  !"  said  Will. 

"  All  right.  Let's  start  for  Bellville,  Wilson. 
Good-by,  fellows.  When  you  want  to  make  up  a 
crew  next  summer  to  pull  against  the  Sportsman's 
Club,  call  on  somebody  besides  us  ;  will  you  ?" 

Chase  and  Wilson  sprang  into  their  saddles  and 
rode  away,  directing  their  course  toward  Mr.  Bell's 
house,  intending  to  get  their  saddle-bags,  which 
contained  the  few  articles  of  clothing  which  they 
had  brought  with  them  from  home,  and  return  to 
the  village  without  the  loss  of  a  single  hour ;  while 
Bayard  and  his  cousins,  after  dancing  a  hornpipe 
to  show  the  delight  they  felt  at  the  success  of  their 
stratagem,  set  out  for  the  dwelling  of  the  French- 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  123 

man,  wliich  was  five  miles  distant.  At  the  end  of 
half  an  hour's  rapid  gallop  they  arrived  within  sight 
of  it — a  douhle  log-house,  flanked  by  corn-cribs  and 
negro  quarters,  and  standing  in  the  middle  of  a 
clearing  of  about  two  hundred  acres.  Here  old 
Coulte  and  his  sons  lived  isolated  from  everybody ; 
and  before  they  engaged  in  the  more  lucrative  busi- 
ness of  smuggling,  they  had  spent  their  summers  in 
superintending  the  cultivation  of  a  few  acres  of 
cotton  and  corn,  and  their  winters  in  hunting. 

As  Bayard  and  his  friends  approached  the  house 
a  man,  who  was  sitting  in  the  doorway  smoking  a 
cob-pipe,  arose  to  welcome  them.  It  was  old  Coulte 
himself — a  little  dried-up,  excitable  Frenchman, 
whose  form  was  half  bent  with  age,  but  who  wa? 
nevertheless  as  sprightly  as  a  boy  of  sixteen. 
Bayard,  who  was  leading  the  way,  reined  up  hig 
horse  with  a  jerk,  and  having  come  there  on  busi- 
ness opened  it  at  once. 

"Hallo,  Coulte!"  he  exclaimed:  "you're  just 
the  man  I  want  to  see.     How's  the  wind  to-day  ?" 

The  Frenchman  started,  and  removing  his  pipe 
from  his  mouth  replied  slowly  and  almost  reluct- 
antly, as  if  the  words  were  forcing  themselves  out 
in  spite  of  all  his  efforts  to   prevent  it :  "  Sou'- 


124  THE  sportsman's  club 

sou'-west."  Then,  as  if  he  were  alarmed  at  what 
he  had  done,  he  stamped  his  foot  on  the  ground, 
exclaiming  :  ''  Vat  you  know  about  ze  wind,  Meester 
Bayard  ?" 

"  0,  that's  all  right,"  replied  Bayard,  carelessly; 
*'  I  know  all  about  it.  If  it  is  south-south-west  to- 
day, it  was  north-north-east  last  night.  Coulte, 
may  I  say  a  word  to  you  in  private?" 

The  Frenchman,  who  appeared  to  be  utterly  con- 
founded, stared  very  hard  at  the  boys  for  a  moment, 
took  his  -pipe  out  of  his  mouth  and  gave  a  loud 
whistle,  then  put  it  in  again,  and  picking  up  his 
hat  followed  Bayard,  who  dismounted  and  led  the 
way  toward  a  corn-crib  that  stood  at  a  little  dis- 
tance from  the  house.  When  he  seated  himself  on 
the  ground  and  motioned  Coulte  to  a  place  beside 
him,  the  latter  gave  another  whistle  louder  than 
before ;  and  having  by  this  means  worked  off  a 
little  of  his  astonishment,  he  leaned  forward  and 
placed  his  hand  on  the  boy's  shoulder.  *^  Meester 
Bayard,"  said  he  in  a  low,  excited  voice,  "be  you 
one  of  ze — ze — " 

The  word  seemed  to  stick  in  his  throat,  but  Bay- 
ard spoke  it  without  the  least  difficulty.  ^'  One  of 
the  smugglers  ?"  he  ine[uired.     "No;  but  I  know 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  125 

feometLing  about  them.  I  say,  Coulte,  doiv't  you 
think  you  are  engaging  in  rather  a  risky  business  ? 
Suppose  it  shouhl  be  found  out,  what  would  become 
of  you  ?" 

The  Frenchman  took  his  pipe  out  of  his  mouth 
long  enough  to  give  another  whistle,  and  then  went 
on  with  his  smoking. 

"If  I  were  disposed  to  be  mean,"  continued 
Bayard,  looking  down  at  the  ground  and  speaking 
in  a  low  voice,  as  if  he  were  talking  more  to  him- 
self than  for  the  benefit  of  his  companion,  "  I 
could  make  plenty  of  trouble  for  you  by  whispering 
about  the  settlement  that  your  sons  belong  to  the 
crew  of  that  smuggling  vessel,  and  that  you  have 
been  seen  with  contraband  goods  in  your  possession. 
Let  me  see;  the  penalty  is — I  forget  just  what  it 
is,  but  I  know  it  is  something  terrible." 

"  Whew !"  whistled  Coulte,  his  face  turning  pale 
with  alarm. 

"  Of  course  I  have  not  the  slightest  intention  of 
doing  anything  of  the  kind,"  continued  Bayard ; 
for  you  and  I  are  old  friends.  But  I  say  that  if  I 
sJwuId  do  it,  it  would  be  bad  for  you,  wouldn't  it  ? 
By  the  way — sit  down  here ;  I  have  a  favor  to  ask 
of  you,  and  I  am  sure  that  you  will  not  refuse  me." 


126  THE   SPORTSMAN  S   CLUB 

Although  the  old  Frenchman  was  one  of  tho 
bravest  hunters  in  the  parish,  and  would  not  have 
hesitated  a  moment  to  attack  the  laro;est  bear  or 
panther  single-handed,  he  was  thoroughly  cowed 
now.  Bayard  knew  what  he  was  talking  about 
when  he  said  he  was  sure  that  Coulte  would  not 
refuse  him  the  favor  he  was  about  to  ask  of  him, 
for  the  old  man  was  so  badly  frightened  that  he 
would  have  given  up  his  ears  if  he  had  been  com- 
manded to  do  so.  He  seated  himself  on  the  ground 
beside  the  boy,  and  listened  attentively  while  the 
latter  unfolded  his  plans,  only  interrupting  him 
occasionally  with  long-drawn  whistles,  which  were 
very  low  at  first  and  very  loud  at  last,  increasing 
in  volume  proportionately  with  the  old  man's  as- 
tonishment. After  Bayard  finished  his  story,  a 
few  minutes'  conversation  followed,  and  finally  tho 
boy  arose  and  walked  toward  his  companions,  leav- 
ing Coulte  standing  as  if  he  were  rooted  to  the 
ground. 

"What  success?"  whispered  Will,  as  Bayard 
swuncr  himself  into  the  saddle. 

"  The  very  best,"  was  the  exultant  reply.  "  Wal- 
ter Gaylord's  goose  is  cooked  now — done  brown. 
In  the  first  place,  Coulte  says  that  all  the  smuggling 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  127 

is  carried  on  in  one  small  vessel  named  the  Stella, 
^vhich  sails  from  the  coast  once  every  ten  days. 
She  is  now  hidden  in  the  bay  a  few  miles  from  here 
(I  know  right  where  she  is,  and  have  promised  to 
visit  her  early  to-morrow  morning),  and  will  leave 
for  Cuba  day  after  to-morrow.  The  only  men  on 
board  are  Coulte's  two  sons,  who  stayed  to  watch 
the  vessel  while  the  rest  of  the  crew  went  to  New 
Orleans  to  spend  their  money.  They  w^ill  return 
some  time  to-morrow,  and  consequently  the  work 
must  be  done  to-night.  Coulte  says  that  he  will  go 
down  at  once  and  talk  to  his  boys,  and  that  Walter 
Gaylord  shall  be  secured  before  morning.  You're 
sorry  for  it,  are  you  not?"  he  demanded,  turning 
fiercely  upon  his  cousins,  who  seemed  to  be  disap- 
pointed rather  than  elated. 

^'No,"  replied  Will,  "I  am  not  sorry,  exactly, 
but  I  feel  kind  of — you  know." 

*'  I  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  answered 
Bayard.     "  I  never  have  such  feelings." 

"  I  feel  afraid,"  said  Seth,  honestly.  "  Suppose 
something  should  happen  ?" 

"  0,  now,  what's  going  to  happen  ?  The  only 
thing  I  am  afraid  of  is  that  Walter  will  keep  him- 
self close   to-night,   or  that  if  he   does  come   out, 


128  THE  sportsman's  club 

Coulte's  boys  will  miss  him.  If  they  meet  him  at 
all,  it  will  probably  be  while  he  is  on  horseback — 
the  Club  are  always  in  the  saddle — and  I  described 
him  so  minutely  that  they  cannot  possibly  mistake 
him.  Coulte's  sons  are  not  very  w^ell  acquainted 
w^ith  "Walter,  you  know,  and  I  tohl  him  to  tell  them 
that  if  they  saw  a  boy  about  my  size  and  age  riding 
a  white  horse,  and  wearing  a  heavy  dark-blue  cloak 
with  a  red  lining,  to  catch  him  at  all  hazards  and 
hold  fast  to  him,  for  he  is  the  fellow  they  want. 
Wasn't  the  old  fellow  taken  down  completely  when 
I  told  him-  that  I  knew  he  w^as  a  smuo:orler  ?  He 
could  scarcely  speak." 

The  boys  faced-about  in  the  saddle,  and  gazed 
back  at  the  house.  The  Frenchman  was  still  stand- 
ing where  they  had  left  him,  smoking  furiously ; 
and  as  they  turned  to  look  at  him  he  took  his  pipe 
out  of  his  mouth,  and  a  long-drawn  whistle  came 
faintly  to  their  ears.  It  was  plain  that  he  had  not 
yet  recovered  from  his  astonishment. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  129 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BAYARD  VISITS  THE  SCHOONER. 

\17'HILE  Bayard  and  his  cousins  were  galloping 
through  the  swamp  on  their  way  to  the  old 
Frenchman's  house,  Henry  Chase  and  Leonard 
Wilson  were  riding  slowly  along  the  road  toward 
the  residence  of  Mr.  Bell.  To  say  that  they  were 
astonished  at  what  they  had  heard  would  not  half 
express  their  feelings.  They  told  themselves  that 
they  had  never  known  anything  about  Bayard 
before  that  day,  and  were  glad  indeed  that  he  had 
not  asked  their  assistance  in  carrying  out  his  plans. 
Chase  was  the  first  to  speak. 

*'What  shall  we  do  about  it?"  he  asked. 

^'  I  think  our  duty  is  very  plain,"  replied  Wilson. 
**  In  the  first  place,  we  ought  to  say  that  we  will 
never  have  anything  more  to  do  with  those  fellows." 

"  I  don't  think  we  shall  have  any  difiiculty  in 
carrying  out  that  resolution,"  answered  Chase,  "  for 
9 


130  THE    sportsman's    CLUE 

it  is  plain  that  thej  have  made  up  theii  miiids  to 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  us." 

"In  the  next  place,"  continued  Wilson,  "we 
ought  to  go  straight  to  Walter  Gaylord  and  tell 
him  to  look  out  for  himself,  and  to  give  Coulte 
and  his  sons  a  wide  berth.  I  never  heard  of  such 
a  cowardly  way  of  taking  revenge  before,  and  I 
could  not  sleep  soundly  again  if  I  did  not  do  some- 
thing to  prevent  it.  And  in  the  third  place,  we 
ought  to  go  home  and  tell  our  fathers  everything 
we  have  heard.  They  will  know  just  what  ought 
to  be  done." 

"  I  will  agree  to  that — all  except  calling  on 
Walter,"  replied  Chase.  "  I  don't  want  to  meet 
him  or  any  of  the  Club.  If  Mr.  Gaylord  or  Uncle 
Dick  should  see  us  in  the  yard,  they  would  order 
us  out  without  giving  us  time  to  make  known  our 
business." 

"  We  need  not  go  there  in  the  day-time.  We 
will  wait  until  after  dark,  and  tell  the  person  who 
answers  our  knock  at  the  door  that  we  want  to  see 
Walter  a  moment.  Now  that  I  think  of  it,  what 
have  these  fellows  done  that  we  dislike  them  so 
much?" 

If  one  might  judge  by  Chase's  actions,  it  was  a 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  131 

question  that  he  did  not  care  to  answer.  He  looked 
verj  sheepish,  gazed  down  at  the  handle  of  his 
riding-whip,  and  had  nothing  to  say. 

"  It  was  verj  mortifying  to  be  beaten  in  that 
boat-race,  after  we  had  bragged  so  lustily  of  our 
muscle  and  long  wind,  and  all  that,"  continued 
Wilson ;  "  but  it  was  fairly  done,  and  we  ought  to 
have  accepted  the  result  like  gentlemen." 

"That's  a  fact,"  said  Chase;  "although  it  was 
a  severe  blow  to  me  to  have  that  little  upstart, 
Fred  Craven,  elected  Vice  Commodore,  when  I 
wanted  the  position  so  badly,  and  tried  so  hard  to 
get  it." 

"  Well,  he  is  a  good  sailor,  and  popular  among 
the  students ;  and  perhaps  you  can  thank  yourself 
for  your  defeat.  I  tell  you.  Hank,  this  day's  work 
has  opened  my  eyes.  I  am  going  to  turn  over  a 
new  leaf  and  behave  myself  from  this  time  forward, 
if  I  know  how.  Why,  man  alive,  just  think  of  it ! 
\\  hat  will  the  folks  in  Bellville  say  about  us  when 
it  becomes  known  that  we  have  been  associating 
with  fellows  who  have  dealinors  with  smufro-lers? 
Gracious  !  We're  getting  rather  low  down  in  the 
world,  the  first  thing  you  know.     Let's  whip  up^ 


132  THE  sportsman's  club 

and  get  our  things  out  of  that  house  before  Bajanl 
returns." 

The  bojs  urged  their  horses  into  a  gallop,  and 
in  half  an  hour  drew  rein  and  dismounted  in  front 
of  the  porch  at  Mr.  Bell's  dwelling — a  rambling 
old  structure,  which  seemed  in  a  fair  way  to  crum- 
ble to  pieces,  and  from  the  outside  looked  as  though 
it  was  entirely  deserted.  The  wide  hall,  which  was 
destitute  of  furniture,  echoed  loudly  as  the  boys 
passed  through  it,  and  the  stairs  creaked  as  they 
ascended  them.  They  made  their  way  to  the  room 
they  occupied  without  meeting  any  one,  and  began 
to  pack  up  their  clothing.  Wilson  put  on  his  over- 
coat, wliile  Chase  threw  his  cloak  over  his  arm, 
picked  up  his  sa<ldle-bags,  and  turned  and  looked 
at  his  companion. 

"  I  say  !"  he  exclaimed,  suddenly.  "Don't  this 
look  rather — it  isn't  just  the  right  thing  now, 
is  it  ?" 

"What?"  inquired  Wilson. 

"  It's  very  ungentlemanly,  not  to  say  sneaking  !" 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

'  Why,  stealing  out  of  the  house  without  saying 
good-bye  to  anybody.  Bayard's  father  and  mother 
have   treated   us  very  kindly  since  we  have  been 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  133 

here,  and  it  would  be  rude  in  us  to  go  off  without 
taking  leave  of  them." 

"  I  know  that ;  but  I  don't  see  how  we  are  going 
to  do  it  without  telling  them  we  had  a  falling  out 
with  Bayard,  and,  of  course,  we  can't  do  that. 
We'll  let  him  give  his  own  version  of  the  affair 
when  he  comes  home,  and  I  know  it  will  be  any- 
thing but  flattering  to  us.  What  shall  we  say  to 
them  ?" 

"Leave  it  tome,"  replied  Chase.  "I'll  fix  it 
all  right." 

The  boys  being  ready  for  the  start  picked  up 
their  luggage,  descended  the  stairs,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  more  were  standing  in  the  library  taking 
leave  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell.  Chase  did  all  the 
talking,  and  succeeded  in  taking  himself  and  com- 
panion through  the  interview  in  a  perfectly  satis- 
factory manner.  Without  alluding  in  any  way  to 
what  had  passed  between  them  and  Bayard,  he 
gave  their  host  to  understand  that  certain  circum- 
stances had  happened  which  rendered  it  necessary 
for  them  to  start  for  hom.e  that  very  night ;  which, 
by  the  way,  was  the  truth. 

"  That's  over,"  said  Chase,  mounting  his  horse — 
which  looked  enough  like  the  one  Walter  rode  to 


13J:  THE  sportsman's  club 

hare  been  Lis  brother — and  leading  the  way  at  a 
rapid  gallop  toward  the  gate  ;  "  and  now  comes 
another  unpleasant  piece  of  business,  which  is  to 
call  upon  the  President  of  the  Sportsman's  Club. 
After  that,  a  forty-mile  ride  over  the  muddiest  road 
in  the  United  States." 

When  the  boys  arrived  within  sight  of  the  chim- 
nej^s  of  Mr.  Gaylord's  dwelling,  they  became  cau- 
tious in  their  movements,  and  if  a  stranger  had 
seen  them  loitering  about  on  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
and  peeping  through  the  bushes  at  the  house,  he 
would  have  looked  at  them  rather  suspiciously. 
He  would  not  have  supposed  from  their  actions  that 
they  had  come  there  on  a  friendly  mission,  but 
would  have  thought  rather  that  they  were  a  couple 
of  burglars,  who  were  taking  notes  of  the  mansion 
and  its  surroundings,  and  waiting  for  the  darkness 
to  hide  their  movements  in  order  that  they  might 
make  a  descent  upon  the  silver.  They  repeatedly 
declared  that  it  "  looked  sneaking,"  but  they  lacked 
the  courage  to  ride  into  the  yard  and  face  Walter 
Gaylord  in  broad  daylight ;  although  if  he  had 
come  out  into  the  woods  where  they  were,  they 
would  have  met  him  gladly.  They  watched  the 
bouse  closely,  and  Wilson  kept  his  lips  puckered 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  135 

up  in  readiness  for  a  whistle  to  attract  the  attention 
of  the  Club  if  they  came  out ;  but  Eugene  was  fast 
asleep  on  the  sofa  in  his  uncle's  cabin,  Walter  and 
Featherweight  were  busy  with  their  books,  Perk 
and  Bab  were  deeply  interested  in  their  games  of 
backgammon,  and  not  one  of  them  showed  himself. 

The  afternoon  wore  slowly  away ;  darkness  came 
on  apace,  and  Chase  and  Wilson,  hungry  and  shiv- 
ering with  the  cold,  began  walking  their  horses  up 
and  down  the  road,  the  former,  who  was  to  act  as 
spokesman,  repeating,  for  the  twentieth  time,  what 
he  intended  to  say  to  Walter  when  he  came  to  the 
door.  They  passed  the  gate  several  times  without 
possessing  the  courage  to  enter  it,  and  each  time 
they  did  so  two  men,  who  were  closely  watching 
all  their  movements,  drew  back  into  the  bushes  and 
concealed  themselves. 

"It  must  be  done  some  time !"  exclaimed  Chase, 
at  lenirth,  "  and  it  might  as  well  be  done  first  as 
last.  The  sooner  it  is  over  the  sooner  we  can  start 
for  home.     Let's  go  in  now." 

As  Chase  said  this  he  turned  his  horse,  and  put 
him  into  a  full  gallop,  being  determined  to  ride  to 
the  house  and  go  through  the  interview  with  Wal- 
ter, while  he  was  in  the  humor  for  it.     Arriving  at 


136  THE  sportsman's  club 

the  gate,  he  bent  down  from  the  saddle  anl  raised 
the  latch;  but  just  then  a  thought  struck  him,  and 
he  paused. 

"  Suppose  Walter  puts  no  faith  in  our  story,'* 
said  he  ;  "  what  then  ?  If  he  isn't  suspicious  that 
we  are  up  to  a  trick  of  some  kind,  he  will  think  it 
very  strange  that  we,  who  were  so  friendly  to  Bay- 
ard this  morning  as  to  be  willing  to  fight  for  him, 
should  be  at  loggerheads  with  him  now." 

A  long  debate  followed,  the  result  of  which  was, 
that  the  boys  determined  to  adhere  to  their  resolu- 
tion and  warn  "Walter  of  his  danger,  leaving  him  to 
do  as  he  pleased  about  believing  their  story.  Aftci 
that  Chase  once  more  rehearsed  his  speech  in  order 
to  fix  it  in  his  memory,  and  again  placed  his  hand 
on  the  latch  ;  but  just  as  the  gate  swung  open  and 
he  was  on  the  point  of  riding  through,  two  dark 
figures  suddenly  appeared  beside  him  ;  and  while 
one  seized  his  horse  by  the  bridle,  the  other  caughi 
him  by  the  arm  and  dragged  him  to  the  ground, 
placing  a  brawny  hand  over  his  mouth,  to  stifle  hig 
cries  for  help. 

"  I've  got  him,  Edmund,"  said  the  latter,  in  a 
hoarse  whisper.     "  Bring  your  light.     Make  your- 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  137 

self  scarce  about  here,"  he  added,  addressing  him- 
self to  Wilson. 

The  man  who  had  been  called  Edmund  released 
the  horse,  and  hurrying  up  to  his  companion,  pro- 
duced  a  dark-lantern  from  the  pocket  of  his  coat, 
and  turned  the  slide.  When  the  light  blazed  up, 
Wilson,  who  had  sat  motionless  in  his  saddle,  too 
nearly  overwhelmed  with  astonishment  to  hear  the 
words  that  had  been  spoken  to  him,  saw  that  the 
men  wore  pea-jackets,  and  that  they  looked  like 
sailors.  He  tried  to  get  a  glimpse  of  their  features, 
but  the  lower  portions  of  their  faces  were  concealed 
by  heavy  mufflers,  and  their  tarpaulins  were  slouch- 
ed over  their  foreheads,  so  that  nothing  but  their 
eyes  could  be  seen. 

"  It's  him,  ain't  it  ?"  asked  Edmund.  *'  Here's 
the  white  horse,  the  blue  cloak  with  the  red  lining, 
the  long,  curly  hair,  the  heavy  boots  and  silver 
spurs,  and  the  riding-whip  with  an  ivory  handle. 
Yes,  it's  him.  If  you  want  to  see  daylight  again, 
you  had  better  be  getting  away  from  here,"  he 
added,  turning  fiercely  upon  Wilson. 

As  the  man  spoke,  he  thrust  his  hand  into  the 
pocket  of  his  pea-jacket  and  drew  it  out  again, 
bringing  with   it    a   double-barrelled,  pistol.     The 


138  THE  sportsman's  club 

sight  of  the  weapon  must  have  restored  Wilson's 
power  of  action,  for  he  wheeled  his  horse  and  gal- 
loped swiftly  down  the  road,  closely  followed  by 
Chase's  nag,  which  seemed  unwilling  to  be  left  be- 
hind. 

The  suddenness  of  the  assault,  and  the  violence 
with  which  he  was  handled,  rendered  Chase  for  a 
few  seconds  speechless  with  surprise  and  alarm  ; 
and  when  he  recovered  himself  sufficiently  to  un- 
derstand what  was  going  on,  it  was  too  late  to  resist 
and  dangerous  to  cry  out,  for  his  hands  and  feet 
were  securely  tied,  and  a  pistol  was  levelled  at  his 
head. 

"We've  got  nothing  against  you,  and  we  don't 
want  to  hurt  you,"  whispered  the  man  who  held  the 
weapon  ;  "  but  you  mustn't  make  any  fuss — mind 
that." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me,  anyhow  ? 
and  what  do  you  mean  by  assaulting  me  in  this 
manner?"  asked  Chase,  as  soon  as  he  could  speak. 

"  Keep  perfectly  still,  now,  and  don't  say  another 
word,"  was  the  satisfactory  reply.  "  It's  enough 
for  you  to  know  that  you  are  wanted." 

As  the  man  said  this  he  lifted  his  prisoner  from 
the  ground  as  easily  as  though  he  had  been  an  in- 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  139 

fant,  and  placing  him  on  his  shoulders  started 
throuo-h  the  bushes  toward  the  beach;  while  the 
other  put  his  lantern  into  his  pocket,  and  hur- 
ried along  in  advance  of  him,  keeping  a  sharp  look- 
out on  all  sides.  Although  Chase's  brain  was  in  a 
great  whirl,  he  retained  his  wits  sufficiently  to  notice 
that  the  course  the  men  were  pursuing  would  take 
them  within  a  short  distance  of  Mr.  Gaylord's 
house.  He  could  see  the  lights  in  the  window, 
which  appeared  to  be  dancing  about  among  the 
trees  as  he  bobbed  up  and  down  on  tho  shoulders 
of  the  man  who  carried  him,  and  he  listened  intent- 
ly, hoping  that  some  of  the  Club's  hounds  Avould 
discover  him  and  his  captors,  and  give  the  alarm ; 
but  nothing  of  the  kind  happened.  The  men  moved 
rapidly,  but  with  cautious  footsteps,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  carried  their  prisoner  down  the  bank  and 
laid  him  in  a  yawl,  which  was  moored  at  the  jetty 
in  front  of  Mr.  Gaylord's  boat-house. 

As  he  was  placed  on  the  bottom  of  the  boat, 
under  the  thwarts,  with  his  face  downward,  and  the 
gunwales  were  so  high  that  he  could  not  look  over 
them,  he  could  not  tell  in  what  direction  the  men 
were  taking  him.  They  moved  steadily  for  two 
hours  without  exchanging  a  word,  and  during  that 


140  iHE  sportsman's  club 

time  Chase  had  ample  leisure  to  think  over  his 
situation.  At  last  his  ears  told  him  that  the  men 
had  taken  in  their  oars,  and  were  pushing  the  yawl 
through  a  dense  thicket  of  bushes,  and  a  few  minutes 
afterward  a  sudden  jar,  which  was  followed  bj  a 
violent  rocking  of  the  boat,  indicated  that  it  had 
come  in  contact  with  something. 

"  Here  we  are  at  last,"  said  one  of  the  men,  and 
Chase  thought,  from  the  tone  in  which  he  spoke 
the  words,  that  he  was  glad  that  the  work  was 
over. 

*'  I  wish  I  was  somewhere  else,"  said  the  prison- 
er. *'  Now,  perhaps  you  will  be  good  enough  to  tell 
me  why  you  brought  me  here  ?" 

"  That's  something  that  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with,"  answered  the  man,  as  he  busied  himself  in 
untying  his  captive's  feet,  while  the  rattle  of  the 
painter  showed  that  his  companion  was  engaged  in 
making  the  yawl  fast.  "  It  is  no  part  of  our  busi- 
ness to  answer  questions.  All  I  can  tell  you  is 
that  we're  not  going  to  hurt  you  if  you  behave 
yourself." 

This  assurance  removed  a  heavy  burden  of  anxiety 
from  the  mind  of  the  prisoner,  who  now,  being  re- 
lieved of  all  apprehensions  concerning  his  personal 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  141 

safety,  raised  himself  to  a  sitting  posture  and  began 
to  look  about  him  with  some  curiosity.  He  noted 
two  things :  that  the  yawl  was  lying  alongside  a 
small  schooner,  and  that  the  schooner  was  anchored 
in  a  little  cove  which  was  surrounded  on  all  sides 
by  a  dense  wall  of  trees  and  bushes.  He  did  not 
have  time  to  make  any  further  observations,  for  his 
captors,  who  seemed  to  be  in  a  great  hurry  to  dis- 
pose of  him,  assisted  him  rather  roughly  out  of  the 
boat  to  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  dragged  him  down  a 
hatchway,  and  thrusting  him  into  a  little  locker, 
left  him  to  his  meditations. 

Bayard  Bell  did  not  sleep  a  wink  that  night,  but 
tossed  uneasily  on  his  bed,  thinking  over  his  plans, 
and  waiting  impatiently  for  daylight.  He  had 
heard  of  such  things  as  smuggling  vessels,  and  was 
anxious  to  see  one  ;  and,  more  than  that,  he  wanted 
to  know  how  Walter  Gaylord  would  look  bound  hand 
and  foot,  and  what  he  would  say  when  he  learned 
that  he  was  to  be  carried  away  from  his  home  and 
put  where  he  would  never  find  his  way  back  to  it 
again. 

"  I'll  tell  him  that  I  am  at  the  bottom  of  all  his 
troubles,"  said  Bayard  to  himself.  "  I'll  say  to 
him :  '  Walter  Gaylord,  I  studied  up  this  plan  and 


142  THE  sportsman's  club 

put  it  into  execution  myself;  and  I  have  done  it  tc 
show  you  that  no  boy  can  treat  me  as  you  have  done 
Avith  impunity.  You  think  yourself  some  pumpkins 
because  you  beat  me  in  that  boat-race,  and  because 
the  fellows  elected  you  Commodore  of  the  Yacht 
Club  over  me.  What  good  will  that  office  do  you, 
I'd  like  to  know  ?  Where  will  you  be  when  we  go 
on  our  regular  cruise  next  summer  ?  Somebody 
will  command  the  yachts  and  fly  the  Commodore's 
broad  pennant,  but  it  won't  be  you — it  will  be  a 
fellow  about  my  size,  and  who  looks  just  like  me. 
And  that  same  fellow  will  win  the  champion  colors, 
too,  next  summer,  for  you  needn't  think  that  the 
Sportsman's  Club  is  going  to  hold  them.'  That's 
the  way  I'll  talk  to  him  for  a  while,  and  then  I  will 
begin  to  abuse  him.  Perhaps  he  will  be  impudent — 
I  hope  he  will,  for  that  will  give  me  an  excuse  for 
hitting  him  a  cut  or  two  with  my  riding-whip.  I 
wish  it  was  morning." 

The  long  hours  of  the  night  wore  away  at  last, 
and  as  soon  as  the  first  gray  streak  of  the  dawn 
was  seen  in  the  east.  Bayard  sprang  out  of  bed  and 
aroused  his  cousins.  They,  too,  had  passed  an 
almost  sleepless  night,  and  were  ready  to  start  for 
the  smuggling  vessel  at  once,  and  without  waiting 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  143 

for  their  breakfast.  Their  horses  were  quickly 
saddled,  and  after  a  three  hours'  hard  gallop  Bayard 
led  his  cousins  into  a  thickly-wooded  ravine,  and 
dismounted. 

"  Coulte  told  me  particularly  to  leave  our  nags 
here,"  said  he.  "  The  schooner  is  only  about  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  away,  and  if  some  one  should  happen 
to  be  prowling  about,  and  should  find  our  horses 
hitched  on  the  bank  near  her  hiding-place,  it  might 
lead  to  her  discovery.  I  don't  want  to  do  anything 
to  endanger  the  existence  of  that  band,  for  I  am 
going  to  join  it  some  day.'' 

Havins  seen  the  horses  concealed  to  his  satisfac- 
tion,  Bayard  led  his  companions  out  of  the  ravine 
and  across  a  narrow  bottom,  which  was  rendered 
almost  impassable  by  the  water  and  ice ;  and  pre- 
sently arrived  on  the  bank  of  the  cove  where  the 
schooner  was  hidden.  The  crew  had  heard  them 
coming  through  the  bushes  and  were  evidently  on 
the  watch,  for  the  boys  saw  three  pairs  of  eyes 
looking  at  them  over  the  top  of  the  rail.  As  they 
stepped  out  into  view  the  persons  to  whom  the  eyes 
belonged  arose  from  their  crouching  posture,  and 
then  the  boys  saw  that  they  were  Coulte  an  \  his 
two  sons.     They  saw  at  the  same  glance  that  the 


144  THE  sportsman's  club 

old  man  was  greatly  troubled  about  something,  for 
he  was  smoking  fast  and  furiously,  and  when  he 
looked  toward  Bayard  he  wrung  his  hands  and 
walked  nervously  up  and  down  the  deck.  While 
the  boys  stood  watching  him  and  wondering  what 
could  be  the  matter,  his  sons  clambered  down  into 
the  yawl  and  came  to  the  shore  after  them.  As 
they  approached.  Bayard  told  himself  that  some- 
thing had  gone  wrong  with  them  too,  for  they  took 
no  notice  of  his  greeting,  but  glared  savagely  at 
him,  as  if  they  had  half  a  mind  to  lay  violent  hands 
upon  him.  Their  looks  were  enough  to  frighten 
Will,  who  whispered  to  his  cousin : — 

"  If  we  once  get  out  of  this  scrape  I'll  never  have 
anything  more  to  do  with  these  men.  I  am  afraid 
of  them." 

"Nonsense!  Don't  be  uneasy,"  replied  Bayard, 
carelessly.  *'  They  are  mad  because  we  know  that 
they  belong  to  the  smugglers.  Let's  see  them  help 
themselves.  We've  got  them  completely  under  our 
thumbs." 

Having  by  this  time  reached  the  schooner, 
Bayard  sprang  over  the  rail  and  looked  about  him 
with  much  interest.  Naval  etiquette  was  strictly 
enforced  by  the  rules  of  the  yacht  club  of  which  he 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  145 

was  a  member,  and  liis  first  move  was  to  salute  the 
quarter-deck,  wliich  he  did  with  as  much  dignity  as 
though  he  had  been  an  admiral,  and  his  next  to 
make  a  hasty  but  critical  examination  of  the 
schooner.  She  was  about  fifty  tons  burden,  long 
and  narrow,  with  a  black  hull,  and  tall,  raking 
masts,  and  was  supplied  with  more  canvas  than  ves- 
sels of  her  size  generally  carry.  It  was  plain  that 
she  had  been  built  for  speed,  and  that  she  was  com- 
manded by  an  experienced  sailor,  for  her  rigging 
was  well  kept,  and  her  deck  was  in  the  best  possible 
order.     Bayard  was  delighted  with  her. 

"  Isn't  she  a  beauty  ?"  he  cried,  turning  to  his 
cousins.  "  I  don't  wonder  that  she  has  never  been 
caught ;  for  I  will  warrant  that  she  can  out-sail  any 
revenue  cutter  in  Uncle  Sam's  service.  Well, 
Coulte,  good  morning  !  You  didn't  sleep  very  well 
last  night,  judging  by  your  appearance.'* 

The  Frenchman  paused  long  enough  to  take  his 
pipe  out  of  his  mouth  and  give  utterance  to  a  shrill 
whistle,  and  then  put  it  in  again,  and  continued  his 
walk  up  and  down  the  deck ;  while  his  boys  folded 
their  arms  and  leaned  sullenly  against  the  rail. 
Bayard  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  them  and 
exclaimed  impatiently, 
10 


146  THE  spoiitsmx\n's  club 

"  What's  the  matter  with  everybody  ?  That  s 
"what  I  want  to  know.  Coulte,  stand  still  and  talk 
to  me." 

"  0,  Meester  Payard  !"  cried  the  old  man,  wring- 
ing his  hands  violently;  "  vat  a  grand  mistake  is 
here — one  grand  big  mistake.     Ah  !  oui !  whew  !" 

Coulte  whistled  long  and  loud,  took  a  few  more 
pulls  at  his  pipe,  and  went  on, 

*' You  zee,  Meester  Payard,  my  leetle  poys  don't 
know  Meester  Valter  zo  very  veil — zey  don't  seen 
him  very  many  times.  Zey  go  down  last  night  to 
Meester  Gaylord's  house,  and  zey — zey — whew  !" 

"  Well,  what  did  they  do?  Go  on,"  commanded 
Bayard. 

The  old  Frenchman  tried  his  best  to  comply,  but 
his  astonishment,  or  perplexity,  or  something  else 
choked  his  utterance.  He  took  a  few  more  puffs 
at  his  pipe,  and  beckoning  to  Bayard,  led  the  way 
forward  and  down  a  ladder  into  the  hold. 

'^  It's  all  right,  boys,"  whispered  Bayard,  glee- 
fully. "  I  thought  at  first  that  they  hadn't  got 
him.  No  doubt  they  hurt  him  a  little  in  capturing 
him,  and  that's  what  troubles  Coulte." 

"  Perhaps  they  hurt  him  too  much,"  said  Will, 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  147 

with   a  look  of  alarm.     "  Who    knows   that   they 
did'nt  kill  him  ?" 

"Eh?"  exclaimed  Bayard,  his  face  growing  pale 
with  apprehension.  "0,  no;  they  didn't  do  that; 
they  would  n't  be  such  fools." 

Bayard  spoke  confidently  enough,  hut  the  words 
of  his  cousin  terrified  him,  and  it  was  with  a  great 
deal  of  impatience  that  he  followed  the  deliberate 
movements  of  the  old  Frenchman.  When  the 
latter  reached  the  hold,  he  paused  long  enough  tc 
light  a  lantern,  after  which  he  led  the  way  to  a 
small  locker  in  the  extreme  forward  part  of  the 
vessel.  He  opened  the  door,  and  handing  the 
lantern  to  Bayard,  stepped  back  and  motioned  him 
to  enter.  The  boy  glanced  timidly  into  the  room, 
and  then  looked  suspiciously  at  Coulte,  as  if  he 
feared  that  the  latter  were  about  to  try  some  trick 
upon  him ;  but  a  second  glance  into  the  locker  re- 
assured him.  There  was  a  prisoner  there,  and  at 
the  sight  of  him  Bayard  uttered  a  shout  of  tri- 
umph. He  did  not  see  much  of  him — nothing  but 
his  boots,  for  the  rest  of  his  body  was  hidden 
behind  a  coil  of  rope ;  but  that  was  enough  for 
Bayard,  who  knew  those  boots  and  the  little  silver 
spurs  that  were  attached  to  the  heels. .  He  stepped 


148  THE  sportsman's  club 

quickly  into  the  room,  and  holding  the  lantern  over 
the  coil  of  rope  so  that  its  rays  fell  full  upon  the 
face  of  the  captive,  exclaimed : 

"  Well,  my  young  boy,  didn't  we  tell  you  yes- 
terday that  you  hadn't  seen  the  last  of  us?" 

"  Bayard  Bell,  is  this  some  of  your  work  ?" 
asked  a  familiar  voice. 

It  was  not  Walter  Gaylord's  voice.  If  it  had 
been  it  would  not  have  produced  such  an  effect 
upon  Bayard  and  his  cousins.  The  former  started 
back,  almost  dropping  the  lantern  in  his  bewilder- 
ment, while  Seth  and  Will  crowded  into  the  locker 
and  looked  over  their  cousin's  shoulder. 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  149 


CHAPTER  A^III. 

WHAT   HAPPENED   THERE. 

XTTELL,  if  this  doesn't  beat  anything  I  ever 
heard  of!"  said  Seth,  in  a  frightened 
whisper.     "  That  isn't  Mm,  is  it  ?" 

"No  sir,  it  isn't.  It  is  somebody  else,  as  sure 
as  you  are  alive,"  replied  Will.     "  It  is — it  is — " 

"  I  want  to  know  if  I  have  you  to  thank  for 
this?"  repeated  the  prisoner,  raising  himself  to  a 
sitting  posture,  and  looking  over  the  coil  of  rope  at 
the  astonished  boys.  "  Why  don't  you  say  some- 
thing." 

Bayard  was  so  utterly  confounded  that  for  a  few 
seconds  he  could  not  speak.  He  stood  as  if  he  had 
been  turned  into  a  wooden  boy,  and  then,  rubbing 
his  eyes  and  staring  hard  at  the  prisoner,  to  make 
sure  that  he  was  awake,  called  out  in  tones  indica- 
tive of  great  excitement,  "  Hank  Chase  !" 

"Yes,  it  is  Hank  Chase,  and  nobody  else,"  re- 
plied the  owner  of  that  name,  indign;intly.    "Now, 


150  THE    sportsman's   CLUB 

I  want  to  know  what  you  brought  me  here  for,  and 
what  you  intend  to  do  with  me  ?" 

Bayard,  who  quickly  recovered  from  his  bewil- 
derment, leaned  forward  to  take  a  nearer  view  of 
the  prisoner,  and,  paying  no  heed  to  his  entreaties 
that  he  would  release  him,  or  at  least  explain  his 
reasons  for  having  him  brought  there,  walked  slowly 
out  of  the  room,  followed  by  his  cousins.  After 
closing  and  fastening  the  door,  he  handed  the  lan- 
tern to  Coulte,  and  began  pacing  thoughtfully  up 
and  down  the  hold,  thrashing  his  boots  with  his 
riding-whip  at  every  step. 

"  Haven't  we  got  ourselves  into  a  pretty  scrape  ?" 
Baid  Seth,  after  a  little  pause. 

"  Shut  your  mouth !"  exclaimed  Bayard,  sav- 
agely. 

"  Haven't  we,  though  ?"  cried  Will.  "  That  plan 
of  yours,  for  getting  even  with  Walter  Gaylord, 
has  worked  splendidly,  hasn't  it  ?  I  wish  I  was  a 
million  miles  from  here.  I  am  going  to  start  for 
home  this  very  day." 

"  So  am  I,"  said  his  brother. 

"Hold  your  tongues,  I  say;  both  of  you," 
shouted  Bayard,  raising  his  riding-whip,  as  if  he 
had  half  a  mind  to  use  it  on  them. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  151 

"lou  zee,  Meester  Payard,"  observed  Coulte, 
ehrucrijino;  his  shoulders  and  wavino;  his  hands,  as 
if  to  say  that  he  was  in  noway  to  blame,  "  my  leetle 
poys  have  made  one  big — one  magnifique  mistake." 

*'Are  these  *the  little  boys'  who  have  made  this 
*  magnificent  mistake?'"  asked  Bayard,  looking 
contemptuously  at  the  two  tall,  broad-shouldered 
men,  who  stood  leaning  against  a  stanchion  close 
by,  waiting  to  see  how  the  interview  would  end. 
"  I  call  them  pretty  good-sized  boys,  and  think 
they  might  have  known  better.  They  are  block- 
heads, both  of  them.  Now,  I  want  you  to  tell  me 
how  you  came  to  make  this  blunder." 

Edmund  and  his  brother  were  sullen  at  first,  but 
after  a  few  words  of  encouragement  from  their 
father,  they  began  and  told  the  story  of  Chase's 
capture,  just  as  we  have  related  it.  They  wound 
up  by  saying  that  they  could  not  see  where  they 
were  to  blame.  Their  father  had  visited  them  the 
day  before,  according  to  promise,  and,  after  inform- 
ing them  that  Bayard  had  it  in  his  power  to  make 
serious  trouble  for  them  if  he  chose  to  do  so,  and 
gaining  their  consent  to  assist  him  in  carrying  out 
his  plans,  h^d  told  them  that  if  they  saw  a  boy 
riding  a  white  horse,  and  wearing  a  blue  cloak  with 


152  THE  sportsman's  club 

a  red  lining,  and  heavy  top-boots,  armed  with  small 
silver  spurs,  to  make  a  prisoner  of  him.  They  had 
met  a  horseman  who  had  answered  to  the  descrip- 
tion perfectly,  and  had  captured  him  according  to 
orders — a  proceeding  on  their  part  that  they  were 
now  heartily  sorry  for.  It  was  no  fault  of  theirs 
that  it  proved  to  be  the  wrong  boy,  for  they  did 
not  know  that  there  were  two  fellows  in  the  settle- 
ment who  rode  white  horses,  and  wore  blue  cloaks 
with  red  linings,  and  besides,  they  were  not  well 
enough  acquainted  with  Walter  Gaylord  to  tell  him 
from  anybody  else.  When  their  father  came  over 
that  morning  to  ascertain  how  they  had  carried  out 
their  instructions,  he  saw  at  a  glance  that  they  had 
made  a  mistake,  and  that  was  the  first  intimation 
they  had  had  of  the  fact.  Some  portions  of  their 
story  must  have  astonished  and  alarmed  Bayard,  for 
he  stood  with  his  mouth  and  eyes  open,  listening  in- 
tently, and  his  face  was  as  pale  as  a  sheet.  When 
the  men  ceased  speaking,  he  went  into  the  locker, 
closing  the  door  after  him. 

"Chase,"  said  he,  "I  want  to  ask  you  some* 
thing :  What  were  you  and  Wilson  doing  in  Mr. 
Gaylord's  yard  last  night  after  dark  ?" 

"Eh?"  ejaculated  the   prisoner,  surprised   and 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  153 

disconcerted  by  the  abruptness  with  which  the  ques- 
tion was  asked;  "I — you  see — " 

"Yes,  I  do  see,"  exclaimed  Bayard,  in  a  voice 
"which  trembled  with  anger  or  terror,  Chase  could 
not  tell  which.  "  I  see  that  my  suspicions  are  con- 
firmed. I  knew  yesterday  that  I  ought  to  look  out 
for  you,  for  there  was  something  in  your  eye  that 
told  me  that  you  and  Wilson  had  overheard  what  I 
said  to  my  cousins  about  the  smugglers.  This  is 
what  you  get  for  playing  eavesdropper,  my  young 
friend,  and  by  meddling  with  things  that  do  not 
concern  you.     It  serves  you  just  right." 

Bayard  came  out  and  slammed  the  door  of  the 
locker,  without  waiting  to  hear  w^hat  else  the  pri- 
soner had  to  say.  His  face  was  paler  than  it  was 
when  he  went  in,  but  that  was  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  for  he  knew  that  there  was  a  boy  in  the  settle- 
ment who  was  acquainted  with  his  secret,  and  that 
he  had  made  an  enemy  of  him.  He  was  afraid  of 
Wilson  now.  Where  was  he  ?  He  might  be  in  Bell- 
ville — very  likely  he  was,  for  he  rode  a  swift  horse 
which  could  easily  carry  him  there  in  one  night — 
and  perhaps,  by  this  time,  half  the  citizens  of  the 
place  had  heard  of  the  plans  Bayard  had  laid  against 
Walter  Gaylord.     He  trembled  when  he  thought 


154  THE  sportsman's  club 

what  a  commotion  the  news  would  create  in  that 
quiet  t-own.  Everybody  there  knew  Walter  and 
liked  him  ;  and  every  one  able  to  ride  a  horse,  from 
the  President  of  the  Academy  down  to  the  smallest 
student,  would  turn  out  to  assist  him  and  hunt  down 
the  smugglers ;  and  what  would  they  do  with  the 
boy  who  had  caused  all  this  trouble  ?  Bayard  asked 
himself.  The  question  troubled  him.  He  saw  that 
he  had  got  himself  into  a  terrible  scrape,  and  was 
almost  overwhelmed  with  alarm  when  he  thought 
of  the  probable  consequences  of  his  act;  but  when 
he  spoke,  it  was  with  great  calmness  and  deli- 
beration. 

"  This  is  none  of  my  funeral,  Coulte,"  said  he, 
"  and  I  wash  my  hands  of  the  whole  aftair.  Two 
courses  of  action  are  open  to  you  :  You  can  release 
your  captive,  or  you  can  take  him  to  the  West 
Indies  and  lose  him  there,  as  you  intended  to  do 
with  Walter  Gaylord.  My  advice  to  you,  however, 
is  to  hold  fast  to  him ;  for  if  you  should  set  him  at 
liberty  he  would  blow  on  you  before  night,  and  then 
whei3  would  you  be?  But  the  matter  doesn't 
interest  me  one  w^ay  or  the  other.  Do  as  you  please. 
Come  on,  fellows ;  there  is  work  before  us,  and 
we've  not  an  instant  of  time  to  fool  away." 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  155 

As  Bayard  said  this  he  placed  his  foot  on  the 
ladder  and  was  about  to  ascend  to  the  deck,  when 
a  shrill  whistle  sounded  from  the  shore.  It  had  a 
strange  effect  upon  some  of  those  who  heard  it,  for 
Coulte  once  more  began  to  wring  his  hands,  while 
his  sons,  Edmund  and  Pierre,  started  up  and  looked 
about  them  in  alarm. 

"  What's  the  trouble  now  ?"  asked  Bayard. 
"  Who's  out  there  ?" 

"  Ah  !  every  dings  is  going  wrong — -oui !  every 
dings,"  exclaimed    Coulte.     "  Zare  is  ze  captain 
Whew!" 

The  old  Frenchman  had  been  terrified  before ; 
he  was  doubly  so  now.  Bayard  did  not  pay  much 
attention  to  him,  for  he  knew  that  he  was  so  exci- 
table that  he  sometimes  became  unreasonably  agi- 
tated over  a  very  trifling  matter ;  but  when  he  saw 
that  Edmund  and  Pierre  were  uneasy,  he  began  to 
think  there  might  be  good  cause  for  alarm. 

"  The  captain  !"  repeated  Bayard  ;  "  what  would 
he  say  to  us  if  he  should  find  us  here  ?" 

"  lie  mustn't  find  you  here,"  said  Edmund,  who 
seemed  to  be  alarmed  at  the  bare  thought  of  such 
a  thing.  "  And  you  won't  be  safe  any  where  now 
that  he  has  come,  for  he  will  look  all  over  the  ves' 


156  THE  sportsman's  club 

sel  before  he  goes  awaj,  to  make  sure  that  every- 
thing is  right.  I  wish  jou  were  at  home,  where 
you  belong." 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Seth,  heartily. 

"  And  I  wish  you  had  been  in  Guinea  last  night, 
for  then  you  wouldn't  have  captured  Hank  Chase 
instead  of  Walter  Gaylord,"  said  Bayard.  ''  That 
mistake  will  get  you  into  serious  trouble  if  you 
don't  mind  what  you  are  about." 

*'Vel,  vat  shall  be  done,"  asked  Coulte,  as 
another  shrill  whistle  rang  through  the  vessel,  this 
time  louder  than  before,  showing  that  the  captain 
was  becoming  impatient  at  the  delay.  "  Yare  shall 
ve  hide  these  leetle  poys  ?" 

"Let  them  go  into  the  cabin,"  said  Pierre,  who 
had  not  yet  spoken.  "  Edmund  and  I  will  take  the 
yawl  and  go  oif  after  the  captain,  and  when  wo 
come  back  we'll  make  her  fast  to  the  stem  of  the 
schooner.  Then  let  the  boys  watch  their  chance, 
and  when  we  come  below  with  the  captain,  let  them 
climb  out  of  the  cabin  windows  into  the  yawl  and 
put  for  the  shore." 

This  plan  seemed  to  meet  with  approval  from 
everybody,  for  Pierre  and  his  brother  at  once  as- 
cended to  the  deck,  and  the  boys  followed  Coulte, 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  157 

x^'ho  beckoned  them  toward  the  calin.  Bayard 
wondered  how  the  captain  would  get  ashore  if  they 
went  away  with  the  boat,  but  as  that  was  a  matter 
of  no  interest  to  him,  he  did  not  waste  time  think- 
ing about  it.  lie  did  not  care  if  the  captain  never 
set  his  foot  on  shore  again,  if  he  and  his  companions 
could  only  leave  the  vessel  before  they  were  dis- 
covered by  him. 

Arriving  at  the  after-end  of  the  hold,  Coulte 
pushed  open  a  door  and  ushered  the  boys  into  the 
cabin  ;  and  after  urging  them  to  keep  their  eyes 
and  ears  open,  and  to  be  ready  to  get  into  the  yawl 
the  moment  they  heard  the  captain  coming  below, 
he  closed  the  door  and  left  them.  Will  and  Seth, 
who  were  intensely  excited  and  alarmed,  ran  at 
once  to  the  window,  drew  aside  the  curtain  and 
looked  out ;  while  Bayard,  who  seemed  disposed  to 
take  matters  very  coolly,  and  who  was  anxious  to 
learn  all  he  could  about  the  smuggling  vessel  during 
the  few  minutes  he  had  to  remain  on  board  of  her, 
began  to  take  a  thorough  survey  of  the  cabin.  It 
was  a  gloomy  uninviting  apartment,  and  Bayard 
thought  that  if  he  had  been  the  master  of  the 
schooner  he  would  have  made  a  good  many  improve- 
ments in  it.     There  was  no  carpet  on  the  floor,  and 


158  THE    SrORTSMAN'S    CLUB 

a  worn-out  sofa,  a  table  and  two  or  three  chairs 
completed  the  furniture.  Two  doors,  )ne  on  each 
side,  opened  into  dark,  uncomfortable  looking 
state-rooms,  each  containing  a  bed  which  apparently 
had  not  been  made  up  since  it  was  brought  on 
board  the  vessel.  Bayard  told  himself  that  he 
would  be  in  no  haste  to  join  the  smugglers  if  he 
knew  that  he  would  be  obliged  to  sleep  in  such  beds 
as  those ;  and  perhaps  if  he  could  have  seen  the 
bunks  in  the  forecastle  he  might  have  given  up  the 
idea  altogether. 

While  Bayard  was  making  his  observations,  Seth 
and  Will,  who  were  impatient  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
the  captain  of  the  smugglers,  ran  their  eyes  along 
the  shore  as  far  as  they  could  see  it  from  the  win- 
dow, and  presently  discovered  the  object  of  their 
curiosity,  who  was  leaning  against  a  tree,  engaged 
in  whittlino;  a  svritch  with  his  knife.  His  lack  was 
turned  partly  toward  them,  and  his  hat  was  drawn 
over  his  forehead  so  that  they  could  not  see  his 
features ;  but  they  were  certain  that  he  was  no 
stranger  to  them,  for  there  was  something  about  "him 
that  looked  familiar.  Just  then  the  yawl  pushed 
off  from  the  schooner,  and  as  it  approached  the 
bank  where  he  was  standing,  the  man  straightened 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  159 

up  and  turned  his  face  toward  the  boj?3  at  the 
window,  so  that  they  had  a  fair  view  of  it.  Could 
they  believe  their  eyes  ?  They  gazed  at  him  a 
moment,  while  an  expression  of  blank  amazement 
overspread  their  countenances,  and  then  dropping 
the  curtain  they  drew  back  from  the  window  with 
as  much  haste  as  though  the  captain  had  suddenly 
levelled  a  revolver  at  them. 

"What's  the  trouble  now?"  snarled  Bayard. 
"Anything  else  wrong?" 

"  Come  here,"  said  Will,  in  reply,  "and  tell  me 
if  you  think  that  is  the  man  who  is  the  captain  of 
this  band  of  smuo-Mers." 

Bayard  stepped  to  the  window  and  looked  out ; 
but  after  he  had  taken  one  short  glance  at  the 
figure  who  was  just  then  stepping  into  the  yawl,  he 
sprang  back  into  the  middle  of  the  cabin  and  gazed 
about  him  as  if  he  were  searching  for  some  avenue 
of  escape. 

"  It's  my  father,  as  sure  as  the  world,"  said  he, 
■with  a  gasp. 

"I  thought  it  was  Uncle  David,"  exclaimed  Will. 

"  I  w^as  certain  I  couldn't  be  mistaken,"  chimed 
in  Seth. 

And  I  would  rather  it  was  aiybody  else  on 


i< 


160  THE  sportsman's  club 

earth,"  continued  Bayard.  "  I  wouldn't  have  him 
catch  me  here  for  any  money.  Why  it  doesn't 
seem  possible,  and  I  can't  understand  it  at  all," 
he  added,  stepping  to  the  window  again  and  looking 
cautiously  out.  "  But  it  must  be  that  he  belongs 
here,  for  he  has  got  into  the  yawl  and  is  talking  to 
Coulte's  boys." 

Bayard's  surprise,  perplexity,  and  terror  were 
almost  unbounded,  and  he  did  not  wonder  now  that 
Coulte  was  alarmed  when  he  knew  that  the  captain 
was  standing  on  the  bank  waiting  to  be  brought  on 
board  the  vessel.  What  would  Mr.  Bell  say  to 
him  and  his  cousins  if  he  should  chance  to  find 
them  in  the  cabin,  and  what  would  he  do  ?  This 
was  something  that  Bayard  did  not  like  to  think 
about.  He  kept  one  corner  of  the  curtain  raised, 
so  that  he  could  observe  the  movements  of  the 
yawl,  while  his  cousins  sank  helplessly  down  upon 
the  sofa,  listening  intently,  and  scarcely  daring  to 
breathe,  lest  their  uncle  should  hear  it.  In  a  few 
mjnutes  the  boat  reached  the  schooner,  and  Bayard 
heard  his  father  clamber  over  the  side.  One  of 
Coulte's  sons  also  sprang  out,  and  the  other  dropped 
the  yawl  astern  and  made  it  fast  there  in  such  a 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  161 

position  that   the   painter  hung  down    directly  in 
front  of  one  of  the  windows. 

*'  That's  the  idea  !"  said  Bayard  approvingly. 
"  The  way  of  escape  is  open  to  us  now.  You  listen 
at  the  door,  Will,  and  tell  me  when  you  hear  any 
one  coming  down  the  ladder,  and  I  will  open  the 
window,  so  that  we  can  crawl  out  at  an  instant's 
warning." 

"  But  how  are  we  going  to  cast  off  the  painter  ?" 
asked  Seth.  "  It's  made  fast  on  deck,  and  of 
course  we  can't  go  up  there." 

^'  We  won't  stop  to  cast  it  off,  we'll  cut  it ;  and 
you  had  better  have  your  knife  out,  all  ready." 

"  What  do  you  suppose  Uncle  David  will  think, 
when  he  finds  the  painter  cut  and  the  boat  gone?" 

"  We  don't  care  what  he  thinks.  We'll  let 
Coulte  and  his  boys  explain  that  in  any  way  they 
please.  We  want  to  get  out  of  this  schooner  as 
soon  as  we  can — that's  all  that  interests  us  just  at 
present.     Don't  this  morning's  work  beat  you?" 

While  Bayard  was  speaking  he  had  opened  the 

window  very  slowly  and  carefully,  and  seizing  the 

painter  drew  the  yawl  close  up  under   the  stern. 

Scarcely  had  this  been  done  when  Will  announced, 

11 


162  THE  sportsman's  club 

in  an  excited  whisper,  that  there  was  some  one 
coming  down  the  ladder. 

"It  is  time  for  us  to  be  moving,  then,"  said 
Bayard,  as  soon  as  he  had  satisfied  himself  that 
Will's  ears  had  not  deceived  him.  "  Seth,  give  mo 
your  knife,  and  you  and  Will  jump  into  the  boat 
and  be  ready  to  shove  oif  when  I  say  the  word.  Be 
lively,  now,  but  don't  be  in  too  great  a  hurry,  for 
the  more  haste  the  less  speed,  you  know." 

Had  Bayard  been  as  excited  as  his  cousins  were, 
it  is  very  probable  that  they  would  not  have  suc- 
ceeded in  effecting  their  escape  from  the  cabin  in 
time  to  avoid  discovery.  The  two  brothers  dis- 
played a  great  deal  of  awkwardness,  and  made  con- 
siderable noise  in  getting  through  the  window;  and 
had  it  not  been  for  Bayard's  help  they  might  have 
stuck  fast  there.  He  held  the  curtain  up  with  one 
hand,  assisted  his  cousins  with  the  other,  and  at  the 
same  time  kept  his  eyes  fastened  on  the  door  which 
he  expected  to  see  opened  every  instant.  The 
voices  and  footsteps  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and, 
just  as  a  hand  was  laid  upon  the  latch.  Bayard 
dropped  the  curtain  to  its  place,  sprang  lightly  into 
the  boat,  and  with  one  swift  blow  with  the  knife  cut 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  163 

the  painter.     Their  escape  had  been  a  very  narrow 
one,  and  he  too  began  to  be  excited. 

"  Shove  off,"  said  he,  in  a  hoarse  whisper,  "  and 
pull  around  the  schooner,  for  fear  that  father  might 
come  to  the  window  and  look  out." 

The  bushes  were  thick,  and  it  was  a  matter  of 
some  difficulty  to  push  the  heavy  yawl  through 
them;  but  the  boys  exerted  all  their  muscle,  and 
made  such  good  use  of  their  time  that  they  suc- 
ceeded in  reaching  the  shore  before  any  of  the  crew 
returned  to  the  deck. 

"  That  danger's  over,"  said  Seth,  with  a  long 
breath  of  relief. 

*'  Yes,  but  there's  another  hanging  over  our 
heads,"  returned  Will.  "  Suppose  Uncle  David 
should  happen  to  go  into  that  locker  and  find 
Hank  Chase  there?" 

"And  suppose  Leonard  Wilson  should  happen 
to  go  to  Bellville  and  tell  all  he  knows  about  us 
and  our  plans?"  said  Bayard.  "That's  another 
danger  that  you  haven't  thought  of." 

"  Leonard  Wilson  !"  repeated  Seth.  "  What  does 
he  know  about  us?" 

"  lie  knows  all  about  us.  Didn't  Edmund  and 
Pierre  say  that  they  saw  him  and  Chase  going  into 


164  THE  sportsman's  club 

Mr   Gajlord's  yard  ?    Now,  "what  were  they  going 
to  do  in  there?" 

Seth  and  Will  looked  at  their  cousin,  but  made 
no  reply.  Their  wits  were  not  as  sharp  as  Bayard's, 
and  they  did  not  understand  the  matter  as  well  as 
he  did. 

"  Humph  !"  exclaimed  the  latter,  in  great  disgust ; 
"  can't  you  see  through  it  yet  ?  You  are  the  most 
stupid  fellows  I  ever  met  in  my  life.  The  amount 
of  the  matter  is,  that,  while  I  was  telling  you  my 
plans  yesterday  those  fellows  sneaked  up  on  us  and 
overheard  every  word  I  said.  We  made  them  mad 
at  us,  and  they  thought  they  would  block  our  game 
by  putting  a  flea  in  Walter  Gaylord's  ear.  They 
were  on  their  way  to  call  on  him  when  Edmund 
and  Pierre  captured  Chase.  Wilson  was  allowed 
to  go  free,  and  of  course  he  will  put  straight  for 
the  village,  and  tell  everything  he  knows.  We're 
in  a  pretty  pickle,  the  first  thing  you  know,  but 
there  is  one  way  of  escape  for  us.  We  must — what's 
that  ?" 

It  was  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs  that  had  at- 
tracted Bayard's  attention.  The  boys  all  heard  it 
now,  and,  if  they  had  not  been  so  fully  occupied 
with  something  else  they  might  have  heard  it  long 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  165 

before,    for    the   horseman  was  close   upon    them. 

They  did  not  care  to  be  seen  by  him,  for  he  might 

be   one  of  the   smugglers.     They   dived  into   the 

bushes  with  a  common  impulse,  and  they  were  not 

an  instant  too  soon,  for  scarcely  had  they  concealed 

themselves  when  a  chestnut-sorrel  pony  appeared, 

running  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  his  rider  bending 

forward  in  his  saddle,  and  holding  his  arm  before 

his  face  to  prevent  the  bushes  and  the  branches  of 

the  trees  from  coming  in  contact  with  it.    The  pony 

stopped  when  he  arrived  upon  the  bank  of  the  cove, 

and  his  rider  straightened  up  and  pushed  back  his 

hat,  disclosing  to  view  the  features  of  Fred  Craven, 

who  opened  his  eyes  in  surprise  when  he  discovered 

the  schooner  lying  at  anchor  among  the  bushes. 


166  THE  sportsman's  club 


1 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WHERE   FEATHERWEIGHT   WAS. 

^RED  CRAVEN  was  a  famous  rifle-shot,  and  al- 


though he  was  a  "  towny,"  he  was  superior  in  all 
manner  of  backwoods  accomplishments  to  any  boy 
of  his  age  in  the  settlement — even  to  Walter  and 
Eugene,  who  lived  in  the  woods,  and  who  had 
handled  shot-guns  and  rifles  all  their  lives.  He 
was  an  enthusiastic  and  persevering  sportsman,  and 
boasted  that  he  never  came  back  from  a  hunt 
empty-handed.  When  the  Club  went  out  on  their 
shooting  excursions.  Featherweight  always  strayed 
off  by  himself;  and  when  he  met  his  companions 
again  at  night,  he  had  more  game  to  show  than  any 
of  them,  sometimes  beating  all  the  rest  of  the 
Club  put  together.  He  thought  almost  as  much  of 
his  pony  as  he  did  of  any  of  his  friends,  and  took 
great  delight  in  training  Flyaway,  his  favorite 
hound. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  167 

Flyavv^ay  was  a  remarkable  dog  in  the  estimation 
of  his  young  master,  although  he  did  not  stand 
very  high  in  the  opinion  of  the  rest  of  the  Club. 
He  would  hunt  a  covey  of  quails  with  as  much  skill 
as  any  old  setter,  would  bring  ducks  out  of  the 
water  as  well  as  a  spaniel,  and  fight  a  bear  as 
bravely  as  any  dog  in  Mr.  Gaylord's  pack ;  but  he 
had  never  hunted  wild  hogs,  and  Featherweight  was 
anxious  to  see  what  work  he  would  make  at  it. 
While  the  line  was  being  formed  that  morning,  and 
the  boys  and  the  negroes  were  about  to  advance 
toward  the  old  bee-tree  to  attack  the  hogs  which 
made  their  harboring-place  there,  Walter,  who  was 
a  very  prudent  and  cautious  fellow,  and  seldom  got 
into  trouble,  and  who  knew  that  Featherweight  was 
sometimes  disposed  to  be  a  little  too  reckless  for 
his  own  good,  thought  it  best  to  give  him  a  word  of 
advice. 

"Now,  Fred,"  said  he,  "wild  hogs  are  things 
not  to  be  fooled  with,  and  if  I  were  in  your  place 
I  wouldn't  put  too  much  dependence  on  that  ani- 
mal there,"  pointing  rather  contemptuously  at  Flya- 
way. "  He  is  a  very  good  turkey  and  deer  dog, 
but  when  he  presumes  to  hunt  such  game  05  this 


168  THE  sportsman's  club 

we  are  after  now,  he  is  getting  above  his  1:  usiness. 
A  full  grown  wild  hog  is  a  terrible  fighter." 

"  Having  hunted  them  a  few  times  in  my  life,  I 
am  not  ignorant  of  that  fact,"  replied  Feather- 
weight, assuming  an  air  of  importance  that  always 
made  the  Club  laugh,  and  speaking  with  as  much 
dignity  as  so  jolly  a  little  fellow  could  command. 
*'  While  I  entertain  the  very  highest  respect  for 
your  opinions  in  general,  and  acknowledge  that  you 
are  a  good  judge  of  horses,  and  a  passable  hand  at 
hunting  small  game,  such  as  squirrels  and  quails,  I 
must  be  allowed  to  remark  that  I  think  you  know 
nothinf;  whatever  about  dogs.  '  That  animal,'  as 
you  are  pleased  to  call  Flyaway,  has  no  superior 
in  this  parish." 

"Well,"  returned  Walter,  with  a  laugh,  "keep 
close  to  us,  and  if  you  get  into  a  scrape  we  can 
lend  you  a  hand." 

But  Featherweight,  being  plucky  and  independent, 
did  not  see  fit  to  follow  this  advice.  He  kept  his 
hound  close  at  his  side  while  the  line  was  moving 
toward  the  old  bee-tree,  and  when  the  hogs  wrre 
started  he  picked  out  the  one  that  he  thought  was 
the  largest  and  ordered  Flyaway  to  catch  it.  The 
hound  sprang   forward    at   the   word,   and   in    an 


IN    TUE    SADDLE.  169 

instant  both  he  and  the  hog  were  out  of  sight  in 
the  cane. 

Featherweight's  pony  had  so  often  shown  his 
heels  to  the  other  horses  owned  by  the  Club,  that 
his  master  had  become  vain  of  his  speed,  and 
boasted  that  he  could  not  be  beaten  by  anything; 
but  distancing  a  horse  on  a  smooth  road,  or  over  a 
level  field,  where  there  were  no  greater  obstructions 
than  lo 2:3  and  low  fences  to  be  encountered,  was 
one  thing,  and  running  a  race  with  a  wild  hog 
through  a  thick  woods,  the  hog  having  nearly  a 
hundred  yards  the  start,  was  another.  The  animal 
made  astonishing  headway,  and  for  a  long  time  the 
boy  could  not  come  within  sight  of  him.  The  noise 
he  occasioned  in  running  through  the  cane,  and  the 
angry  yelps  now  and  then  uttered  by  the  hound, 
guided  the  young  hunter  in  the  pursuit ;  but 
although  he  urged  his  pony  forward  by  voice,  whip 
and  spur,  he  could  not  lessen  the  distance  between 
them. 

"  I  never  knew  before  that  a  hog  could  run  so,'* 
soliloquized  Featherweight;  "and  I  never  thought 
either  that  Flyaway  was  a  coward.  He  is  keeping 
within  sight  of  that  hog  all  the  time,  but  he  won't 
catch  him.     Rex  would  have  had  him  by  the  ear 


170  THE   sportsman's    CLUB 

long  ago.     Hi  !  hi !  Why  don't  you  take  liold  of 
him  there  ?" 

The  hound  replied  with  a  short,  quick  bark,  and 
a  commotion  in  the  bushes  told  the  young  hunter 
that  he  was  doing  his  best  to  obey  the  command. 
Featherweight  yelled  encouragingly  and  urged  on 
his  horse,  which  with  a  few  more  jumps  brought  his 
rider  to  the  scene  of  the  conflict — or,  rather,  to  the 
spot  where  it  had  taken  place ;  for  when  Feather- 
weight reached  it  the  struggle  was  over.  Flyaway 
was  a  badly-whipped  dog,  and  the  wild  hog  was  out 
of  sight. 

*'Now  just  look  at  that!"  exclaimed  the  boy, 
indignantly,  gazing  after  his  hound  which  was 
retreating  precipitately  through  the  cane,  with  his 
sides  bleeding  from  several  ugly-looking  wounds 
made  by  the  long  teeth  of  the  wild  hog.  "  That 
puts  an  end  to  your  hunting  for  a  month  or  two, 
my  fine  fellow ;  perhaps  for  ever.  I'll  capture  that 
hog  now  if  I  have  to  follow  him  for  a  week.  I'll 
try  to  tire  him  out  and  ride  him  down ;  and  if  I 
can't  do  that,  I'll  head  him  off  and  turn  him  back 
toward  the  old  bee-tree,  so  that  some  of  the  other 
dogs  can  have  a  chance  at  him." 

Featherweight,  knowing  that  his  wounded  favo- 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  171 

rite  would  make  the  best  of  his  way  to  Mr.  Gay- 
lord's  house,  and  that  when  he  arrived  there  he 
would  receive  every  attention  from  Uncle  Jim,  the 
old  negro  who  had  charge  of  the  hounds,  once  more 
put  spurs  to  his  pony  and  dashed  through  the  cane 
in  hot  pursuit  of  the  hog.  He  did  not  follow  directly 
after  him,  but  gradually  turned  off  to  the  left  of 
the  trail,  hoping  to  pass  him  and  compel  him  to 
turn  back  in  the  direction  from  which  he  had  come. 
How  lono;  the  chase  continued  Featherweiorht 
could  not  have  told.  The  rapid  pace  soon  began  to 
tell  upon  the  pony,  which  showed  a  desire  to  settle 
down  into  a  slow  gallop ;  but  the  hog  went  ahead 
as  swiftly  as  ever.  As  the  boy  had  eyes  and  ears 
for  nothing  except  the  game  he  was  pursuing,  he 
did  not  know  in  what  direction  he  was  going  or 
where  he  was,  until  he  discovered  an  opening 
through  the  trees  in  front  of  him,  and  came  sud- 
denly upon  the  bank  of  the  cove  where  the  smug- 
glers' schooner  was  hidden.  He  thought  he  must 
be  close  upon  the  hog  now,  for,  just  as  he  drew 
rein,  he  heard  a  rustling  among  the  bushes  a  little 
distance  off;  but  had  he  investigated  the  manner, 
he  would  have  found  that  the  noise  was  not  occa- 
sioned by  the  wild  hog,  but  by  Bayard  Bell  and  his 


172  THE  sportsman's  club 

cousins,  who  were  concealed  behind  a  log,  watching 
his  movements. 

The  sight  of  a  schooner  hidden  away  among  the 
bushes  in  that  lonely  place  was  a  most  unexpected 
one  to  the  eyes  of  the  young  hunter,  and  speedily 
drove  all  thought  of  the  game  out  of  his  mind.  He 
could  not  account  for  her  presence  there,  and  the 
longer  he  looked  at  her  the  more  he  wondered,  and 
the  more  surprised  he  became.  He  ran  his  eye  all 
over  the  vessel,  noting  the  fine  points  about  her 
that  had  so  deeply  interested  Bayard  Bell,  but  he 
could  not  discover  anything  that  looked  familiar, 
and  he  was  finally  obliged  to  conclude  that  he  never 
had  seen  her  before. 

"  I've  lost  the  hog,"  said  Featherweight  to  him- 
self, gazing  all  around  him  to  see  if  there  were  any 
of  the  crew  of  the  vessel  in  sight,  "  but  I've  found 
a  schooner.  Who  owns  her  ?  Who  brought  her 
here  ?  Where  are  the  men  who  belong  to  her,  and 
why  is  she  hidden  away  in  this  cove  ?  I  can't  see 
any  one  about  her,"  he  added,  seizing  a  branch 
above  his  head  and  standing  erect  in  his  saddle  to 
obtain  a  view  of  her  deck.  ^'  Yes,  sir ;  she's  de- 
serted, and  here's  her  yawl  lying  on  the  shore- 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  173 

Now,  that's  lucky.     I'll  just  step  aboard  and  ex- 
amine into  tilings  a  little." 

As  Featherweight  said  this  he  hitched  his  pony 
to  a  limb  of  the  tree,  sprang  to  the  ground,  and  in 
a  few  seconds  more  was  pushing  the  yawl  through 
the  bushes  toward   the   schooner.     Had   he   gone 
around   the   stern   and   looked   in    at   one   of  the 
windows — the  curtains  were  raised  now — he  would 
have  seen  that  the  vessel  was  not  deserted,  and  that 
there  were  four  men  there  engaged  in  consultation : 
but  he  pulled  straight  toward  the  bow,  and  after 
making  the  yawl's   painter   fast   to    the  bobstay, 
sprang  over   the  rail  and  looked  about  him.     He 
could   see   no  one.     He  listened,  but  could   hear 
nothing,  for  the  door  leading  into  the  cabin  was 
closed,  thus  shutting  out  the  sound  of  the  conver- 
sation  carried  on   by   the   captain  and   his   men. 
Stepping  to  the  forehatch  he  looked  down  into  the 
hold,  and  the  first  object  that  caught  his  eye  was  a 
lighted  lantern,  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder — 
the  same  one  Bayard  had  used  during  his  interview 
with  the  prisoner. 

"  That's  the  very  thing  I  need,"  said  Feather- 
weijjht,  as  he  descended  into  the  hold.  "  I  will 
look  all   over  this  craft  now,  and  see  if  I  can   find 


174  THE  sportsman's  club 

something  to  tell  me  wliat  she  is  and  where  she 
belongs.  Suppose  she  should  prove  to  be  a  private 
yacht,  whose  owner  has  come  up  here  with  a  party 
of  friends  to  go  deer-hunting  ?  If  they  should 
return  suddenly  and  find  me  prowling  about,  they 
might  not  like  it.  Perhaps  it  would  teach  them 
that  it  is  a  good  plan  to  leave  a  watch  on  board  a 
vessel." 

The  first  thing  Featherweight  noticed  when  he 
reached  the  bottom  of  the  ladder  was,  that  for  a 
vessel  the  size  of  the  schooner,  her  hold  was  very 
shallow.  He  could  scarcely  stand  erect  in  it.  He 
was  surprised  at  this,  and  he  would  have  been  still 
more  surprised  if  he  had  known  that  the  floor  of 
the  hold  was  provided  with  a  fore,  main  and  after 
hatchway,  like  the  deck  above,  and  that  they  led 
down  into  a  second  hold — the  real  hold  of  the  ves- 
sel, in  fact — which  was  nearly  as  large  as  the  one 
in  which  he  was  then  standing.  He  learned  all 
about  that,  however,  and  about  a  good  many  other 
things,  before  he  got  through  with  the  schooner. 
If  he  had  known  all  that  was  to  happen  to  him 
before  he  put  his  foot  on  shore  again,  he  would 
have  got  out  of  that  vessel  without  the  loss  of  a 
single  instant. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  175 

The  hold  was  empty,  and  Featherweight  did  not 
see  anything  to  attract  his  attention  until  he 
crawled  through  a  narrow  passage-way  that  led 
around  the  forecastle  to  the  extreme  forward  part 
of  the  vessel.  There  he  discovered  a  locker,  and 
the  key  w^as  in  the  door.  Little  dreaming  what 
was  on  the  other  side  of  that  door,  he  turned  the 
key,  and  holding  his  lantern  above  his  head  looked 
into  the  room.  He  was  not  easily  frightened,  but 
he  saw  something  that  made  the  cold  chills  creep 
all  over  him,  and  caused  him  to  utter  a  cry  of 
alarm  and  stafjorer  back  into  the  hold  as  if  some 
one  had  struck  him  a  blow.  It  was  a  pale,  haggard 
face  which  looked  at  him  over  the  top  of  a  coil  of 
rope.  lie  did  not  see  anything  familiar  in  it,  but 
he  recognised  the  voice  which  asked  in  indignant 
tones : 

"  Are  you  ready  to  answer  my  question  now  ?" 
The  sound  of  the  voice  quieted  Featherweight's 
nerves,  and  after  a  moment's  hesitation  he  stepped 
into  the  locker  and  lowered  his  lantern  so  that  he 
could  obtain  a  fair  view  of  the  face.  "  It  can't  be 
possible  that  this — Chase,  what  in  the  name  of  won- 
der are  you  doing  in  this  hole?"  he  asked,  as  soon 


176  THE  sportsmak's  club 

as  he  had  satisfied  himself  as  to  the  identity  of 
the  occupant  of  the  locker. 

^'  Fred  Craven !"  cried  the  prisoner,  in  great 
amazement.  *'  Well,  I  am  beaten,  now.  I  am 
taken  all  aback." 

*'  So  am  I,"  replied  Featherweight.  "  What  are 
you  doing  here  ?" 

"  I  didn't  know  that  you  were  one  of  these  fel- 
lows." 

"  What  fellows  ?" 

"I  should  be  glad  if  you  would  bring  me  a 
mouthful'to  eat,  for  I  am  almost  famished,"  con- 
tinued Chase,  without  answering  Featherweight's 
question.  "  But  first  I  want  to  know  why  you 
brought  me  here,  and  what  you  intend  to  do  with 
me  ?" 

"I !"  Featherweight  almost  shouted;  "  what  did 
I  have  to  do  with  bringing  you  here  ?" 

"  Well,  you  know  something  about  it,  don't 
you?" 

"/.'"  repeated  Featherweight,  growing  more  and 
more  bewildered.  "  Boy,  you're  crazy.  Why  don't 
you  get  up  and  come  out  from  behind  that  coil  of 
rope?" 

"  Look  here !"  exclaimed  the  prisoner,  who  did 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  177 

not  seem  to  understand  the  matter  at  all ;  "  are 
you  not  one  of  them  ?" 

"One  of  whom?" 

"Don't  you  belong  to  the  band?" 

"What  band?" 

"  Why,  the  smugglers." 

"Eh!  Chase,  you're  dreaming." 

"  Do  I  dream  that  I  am  a  prisoner  ?" 

"A  prisoner!" 

"Yes;  and  that  I  have  been  shut  up  here  ever 
since  last  night  ?  If  you  are  not  one  of  them,  what 
made  you  come  here  ?     How  did  you  get  aboard  ?" 

"  I  came  off  in  the  yawl.     I  found  it  on  shore." 

"Did  you?"  exclaimed  Chase,  eagerly.  "  That 
accounts  for  it.     I  understand  the  matter,  now." 

"  I  don't,"  replied  Featherweight.  "  I  am  all  in 
the  dark." 

"  If  you  will  release  me  I  will  soon  enlighten  you. 
You  will  have  to  use  your  knife,  for  my  hands  are 
tied  behind  my  back,  and  one  end  of  the  rope  is 
made  fast  to  a  ring-bolt  in  the  deck,  so  that  I  can't 
get  up." 

Featherweight  was  more  amazed  than  ever  when 
he  found  that  Chase  was  a  prisoner,  but  he  refrain- 
ed from  asking  any  questions,  knowing  that  in  due 
12 


178  THE  sportsman's  club 

time  he  would  hear  all  about  it.  He  forgot  noTV 
that  Chase  was  his  sworn  enemy,  and  that  only  the 
day  before  he  had  been  standing  face  to  face  with 
him  in  a  hostile  attitude,  and  that  when  Bayard 
and  his  men  approached  to  attack  the  Sportsman's 
Club,  Chase  had  singled  him  out  as  his  own  special 
object  of  vengeance,  and  made  at  him  as  though  he 
meant  to  tear  him  in  pieces.  Featherweight  did 
not  care  to  remember  this  against  him  now ;  but 
Chase  must  have  thought  of  it,  for  when  his  visitor 
placed  his  lantern  on  the  floor,  and,  clambering  over 
the  coil  of  rope,  bent  down  to  untie  the  prisoner's 
arms,  the  latter  said,  with  some  embarrassment — 

"  Fred,  I  little  thought  yesterday  that  I  should 
ever  have  to  ask  a  favor  of  you." 

"Never  mind  it  now,"  replied  Featherweight. 
"  I  didn't  bear  you  any  ill-will,  and  I  hope  that 
from  this  time  forward  we  will  be  fast  friends." 

"You  may  safely  bet  on  me,"  said  Chase,  ear- 
nestly, as  Featherweight  helped  him  to  his  feet. 
"  You  have  rendered  me  a  great  service,  and  I'll 
never  forget  it.  Now,  let's  leave  here  at  once.  I 
have  passed  a  most  miserable  night  in  this  locker, 
and  I  want  to  get  out  of  sight  of  it  as  soon  as  I 
can.     I  will  explain  everything  presently.*' 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  179 

Featherweight  knew  from  his  companion's  man- 
ner that  he  had  some  exciting  revelation  to  make. 
Wondering  what  it  could  be,  and  impatient  to  hear 
it,  he  picked  up  his  lantern  and  started  back  through 
the  passage-way,  closely  followed  by  Chase,  who 
kept  looking  back  over  his  shoulder,  as  if  he  were 
afraid  that  there  might  be  some  one  pursuing  him. 
When  they  reached  the  ladder,  and  Featherweight 
was  about  to  ascend  to  the  deck,  Chase  caught  him 
by  his  sleeve  and  held  him  back.  "  Be  very  care- 
ful," said  he,  in  a  suppressed  whisper,  "  there  may 
be  some  of  them  still  on  board,  and  if  they  see  us 
we  are  done  for.'* 

"  They  ?  Who  ?" 

"  Why,  Coulte  and  his  sons.  Yes,  they  are 
members  of  the  band,"  added  Chase,  in  response 
to  an  inquiring  look  from  his  companion,  "'  and 
they  are  the  ones  who  got  me  into  this  scrape." 

"  What  have  you  done  to  them  ?" 

"  Nothing.  They  were  acting  under  instructions 
from  Bayard  and  his  cousins.  They  attacked  Wil- 
son and  me  last  night  while  we  were  in  Mr.  Gay- 
lord's  yard,  and  pulled  me  off  my  horse." 

"  Who  did — Bayard  and  his  cousins  ?" 

"No,  Coulte's  boys." 


180  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  the  door 
of  the  cabin  opened,  and  the  four  men  who  had 
been  holding  their  consultation  there  came  out  and 
ascended  to  the  deck.  The  moment  Mr.  Bell 
reached  the  top  of  the  companion-ladder  he  heard 
the  sound  of  voices  coming  from  the  forehatch,  and 
his  suspicions  were  aroused  at  once. 

"Who's  that?"  he  asked,  turning  to  Coulte,  who 
was  close  at  his  heels. 

The  old  Frenchman,  who  also  heard  the  voices, 
was  so  astonished  and  alarmed  that  he  could  not 
answer  the  question.  He  stepped  cautiously  to  the 
side  of  the  vessel  and  saw  the  yawl  made  fast  to 
the  bobstays.  Could  it  be  possible,  he  asked  him- 
self, that  Bayard,  instead  of  going  ashore  with  the 
boat,  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  had  pulled  around 
the  schooner,  and  gone  down  into  the  hold  to  have 
another  talk  with  the  prisoner  ?  If  such  was  the 
case,  his  discovery  by  his  father  was  certain.  Mr. 
Bell  saw  from  the  expression  of  Coulte's  face  that 
there  was  something  wrong,  and  ordering  him  and 
his  sons  in  a  low  but  stern  voice,  to  remain  perfectly 
quiet,  he  walked  forward  on  tip-toe.  Arriving  at 
the  hatchway,  he  looked  down  into  the  hold  and 
saw  the  two  boys  there — Chase  sitting  on  the  lower 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  181 

step  of  the  ladier,  gazing  at  his  wrists,  which  wero 
red  and  swollen  from  having  been  so  long  confined, 
and  Featherweight  standing  in  front  of  him  with 
one  hand  in  his  pocket,  and  the  other  holding  a 
lighted  lantern.  Mr.  Bell  was  about  to  call  out  to 
them  and  demand  what  they  were  doing  there, 
when  something  one  of  them  said  attracted  his  at- 
tention ;  and  drawing  back  from  the  hatchway  so 
that  he  could  not  be  seen  if  either  of  the  boys 
should  chance  to  look  toward  the  deck,  he  listened 
with  all  his  ears.  The  first  word  he  heard  brought 
an  expression  of  amazement  to  his  face,  which 
gradually  changed  to  a  look  of  intense  alarm  as 
the  conversation  proceeded. 

"Chase,"  said  Featherweight,  "I  can't  make 
head  or  tail  of  what  you  are  trying  to  tell  me. 
Now  begin  at  the  beginning  and  let  me  know  how 
you  came  here,  who  brought  you,  why  you  were 
bound  and  confined  in  that  locker,  and  all  about  it." 

"  Do  you  know  that  there  is  a  gang  of  smugglers 
around  here,  and  that  we  see  and  talk  to  some  of 
its  members  nearly  every  day  ?"  asked  Chase,  ab- 
ruptly. 

"  No,"  replied  Featherweight.  "  I  knew  there 
was  such  a  band  somewhere  on  the  coast,  for  Walter 


182  THE  sportsman's  club 

was  reading  about  it  this  morning  in  the  paper; 
but  I  didn't  know  that  they  were  so  near  us." 

Featherweight  remembered  that  Perk  had  given 
it  as  his  decided  opinion  that,  if  the  Sportsman's 
Club  and  Bayard  and  his  men  had  come  to  blows 
on  the  preceding  day,  the  Club  would  have  whipped 
three  of  the  relations  of  the  ringleader  of  the 
band ;  but  he  did  not  allude  to  it,  for  he  was  not  in 
the  habit  of  repeating  what  was  said  to  him  by  his 
friends.  It  was  this  quality — the  ability  to  hold 
his  tongue,  and  a  very  rare  one  it  is,  too — that  had 
made  Featherweight  so  many  friends.  If  any  of  the 
students  at  the  Academy  wanted  a  trustworthy  con- 
fidant, they  ahvays  selected  him,  for  he  was  never 
known  to  tell  a  secret.  More  than  that,  they  could 
say  what  they  pleased  before  him  about  anything 
or  anybody,  so  long  as  they  did  not  abuse  any  of 
his  friends,  and  there  was  no  danger  that  it  would 
ever  be  repeated. 

"  Well,  they  do  live  near  us — right  here  in  our 
very  midst,"  continued  Chase ;  "  and  you  are  at 
this  moment  standing  on  board  their  vessel !" 

"No!"  exclaimed  Featherweiorht. 

*'  But  I  say,  yes  ;  you  are.  And  now  I  will  tel. 
you  how  I  came  to  find  out  about  them." 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  183 

Chase  settled  himself  into  an  easy  position  on 
the  ladder,  and  proceeded  to  give  his  companion  a 
history  of  everything  that  had  happened  to  him 
since  he  had  last  seen  the  members  of  the  Sports- 
man's Club.  He  told  how  Bayard  and  his  cousins 
had  excited  the  suspicions  of  himself  and  Wilson 
by  leaving  them  and  going  off  together ;  how  they 
had  crept  through  the  bushes  and  overheard  their 
conversation  about  the  smugglers,  and  the  plans 
they  had  laid  against  Walter  Gaylord ;  how  Bay- 
ard, in  order  to  get  him  and  Wilson  out  of  the  way, 
had  raised  a  quarrel  with  them  and  told  them  to 
go  home ;  how  they  had  waited  until  dark  and 
then  started  for  Mr.  Gaylord's  house,  intending  to 
see  Walter  and  put  him  on  his  guard  against  Coulte 
and  his  sons ;  how  they  had  been  waylaid  at  the 
gate  by  a  couple  of  sailors,  who  proved  to  be  Pierre 
and  Edmund ;  and  wound  up  giving  an  account  of 
Bayard's  visit  to  the  schooner  that  morning. 

"  From  some  things  Bayard  said  when  he  was 
here,"  added  Chase,  "  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  they  did  not  intend  to  capture  me,  but  mistook 
me  for  Walter.  You  know  I  ride  a  white  horse 
and  dress  something  like  him,  and  it  is  very  easy 
for  one  to  make  a  mistake  in   the  dark.     Bayard 


18^  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

was  astonished  and  very  angry  when  he  found  me 
in  the  locker,  and  I  heard  him  say  to  Coulte  that 
it  was  none  of  his  affair  (alluding,  I  suppose,  to  my 
capture),  and  that  he  washed  his  hands  of  it." 

"Then  why  didn't  Coulte  set  you  at  liberty?'* 
asked  Featherweight. 

"  I  suppose  he  was  afraid  that  I  would  go  to  the 
village  and  make  trouble  for  him,"  replied  Chase; 
"  and  I  can  assure  him  that  his  fears  were  well 
founded.  I  am  not  going  to  be  bound  hand  and 
foot  and  shut  up  in  a  dark  hole  like  that  for  no- 
thing ;  now  I  tell  you.  If  I  don't  raise  a  breeze  in 
this  settlement  as  soon  as  I  put  my  foot  on  shore 
again,  it  will  be  because  I  don't  know  how.  He 
didn't  help  the  matter  much  by  keeping  me  a  pris- 
oner, for  Wilson  is  at  liberty,  and  I  know  he  won't 
eat  or  sleep  till  he  tells  my  father  everything." 

"  And  so  they  intended  to  lose  Walter  in  the 
West  Indies  ?     That's  a  queer  idea." 

"  I  call  it  absurd.  That  boy  couldn't  be  lost  in 
any  part  of  the  world.  He  would  find  his  way 
home  from  the  North  Pole.  But  there's  another 
thing  I  want  to  tell  you,"  added  Chase,  sinking  his 
voice  almost  to  a  whisper,  and  assuming  a  very 
mysterious  air  which  made  his  companion  impatient 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  185 

to  hear  what  he  was  about  to  say,  "  and  that  is, 
that  Bayard's  father  is  the  leader  of  this  gang.** 

"No  !"  cried  Featherweight  again. 

"  It's  a  fact.  While  Bayard  was  talking  with 
Coulte  just  outside  the  locker — I  heard  every  word 
he  said — some  one  whistled  from  the  shore,  and 
the  old  Frenchman  declared  that  it  was  the  captain. 
I  heard  a  boat  put  off  from  the  vessel  and  come 
back  with  Mr.  Bell.  I  know  it  was  he,  because  I 
recognised  his  step  and  also  his  voice.  I  have 
heard  him  speak  a  good  many  times  during  the 
three  weeks  I  have  been  visiting  at  his  house,  and 
it  is  impossible  that  I  should  be  mistaken." 

"Where  do  you  suppose  he  is  now?"  asked 
Featherweight,  who  told  himself  over  and  over 
again  that  Chase  had  certainly  taken  leave  of  his 
senses,  and  didn't  know  what  he  was  talking  about. 

"  He  may  he  on  board  the  vessel,  for  all  I  know  ; 
or  he  may  have  gone  ashore  with  the  yawl  and 
left  it  where  you  found  it.     We'd  better  be  going, 

too." 

"  I  should  say  we  had,"  replied  Featherweight, 
making  his  way  cautiously  up  the  ladder.  Although 
he  did  not  believe  a  word  of  the  story  he  had  heard 
— he  told  himself  it  was  utterly  unreasonable — he 


.186  THE  sportsman's  club 

thought  it  best  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  and  to  recon- 
noitre  the  deck  before  he  went  up  there.  "  I  am 
glad  I  have  been  able  to  do  you  a  service,  Chase," 
he  added  ;  "  but  if  I  had  known  that  this  craft  was  a 

smuggler,  you  wouldn't  have  caught  me" 

Featherweight  suddenly  paused,  his  face  grew  as 
pale  as  death,  and  he  backed  down  from  the  ladder 
with  much  greater  haste  than  he  had  ascended  it. 
While  he  was  speaking  he  happened  to  look  up- 
ward, and  saw  Mr.  Bell  leaning  over  the  combings 
of  the  hatchway,  glaring  down  at  him  like  a  caged 
hyena.  He  began  to  put  a  little  more  faith  in 
Chase's  story,  now. 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  187 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  FRIEND  IN  TUE  CORN-CRIB. 

T  T  is  hard  to  tell  wliicli  was  the  most  astonished 
and  alarmed — Mr.  Bell  or  the  two  boys.  Chase 
and  Featherweight  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder, 
looking  up  into  the  scowling,  angry  face  that  was 
bending  over  them,  and  Mr.  Bell  folded  his  arms 
and  looked  savagely  at  them  in  return.  For  fully 
five  minutes  no  one  spoke ;  but  at  the  end  of  that 
time  the  leader  of  the  smugglers  seemed  to  have 
determined  upon  something,  for  he  beckoned  to 
Coulte  and  his  sons,  who  came  up  immediately. 
"  Go  down  there  and  tie  those  boys,"  said  he.  "  Tie 
them  hard  and  fast." 

Edmund  went  forward  after  a  piece  of  rope,  and 
Coulte  and  Pierre  descended  the  ladder,  laid  hold 
of  the  prisoners'  collars,  and  held  on  to  them  with- 
out saying  a  word.  Edmund  presently  came  down 
with  the  rope,  and  in  two  minutes  more  Chase  and 
Featherweight  were  powerless. 


188  THE  sportsman's  club 

"Now  come  up  here,"  said  Mr.  Bell,  who  Lad 
watched  the  whole  of  the  proceeding  from  the  head 
of  the  ladder.    *'  I  have  a  word  to  say  to  you.'* 

Coulte  and  his  sons  ascended  to  the  deck,  and 
Mr.  Bell  began  a  conversation  with  them  which  was 
carried  on  in  a  tone  of  voice  loud  enough  for  the 
prisoners  to  hear  every  word  that  was  said.  Their 
minds  were  at  once  relieved  of  all  apprehension  en 
one  score,  for  they  learned  that  their  captors  did 
not  intend  to  do  them  any  bodily  harm ;  but  Mr. 
Bell  had  formed  some  disagreeable  plans  concern- 
ing them,  and  their  hearts  sank  within  them  when 
they  heard  them  unfolded  and  explained  to  Coulte 
and  his  boys. 

"Now,  then,"  said  Mr.  Bell,  who  seemed  anxious 
to  have  done  with  what  he  had  to  say,  and  to  get 
the  subject  off  his  mind  as  soon  as  possible,  "  I  don't 
want  any  time  wasted  in  excuses  or  explanations, 
for  I  know  all  about  it.  You  have  got  yourselves 
and  me  into  a  nice  scrape,  and  we  must  get  out  of 
it  the  best  way  we  can.  As  you  captured  Chase  on 
your  own  responsibility  and  without  any  orders 
from  me,  you  can  take  care  of  him  yourselves.  The 
crew  will  begin  to  return  very  soon,  and  they  must 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  189 

not  find  him  here.     You  will  take  him  ofi"  the  vessel 
at  once — this  very  moment." 

"But  what  shall  we  do  with  him?"  asked  Ed- 
mund. 

"  I  don't  care  what  you  do  with  him,  so  long  as 
you  don't  hurt  him.  I  know  what  I  shall  do  with 
Fred  Craven.  I  shall  start  with  him  for  Cuba  this 
very  night,  and  hire  a  Spanish  sea  captain,  who 
trades  between  Havana  and  Vera  Cruz,  to  ship  him 
as  a  foremast-hand;  and  take  him  to  Mexico.  I 
don't  care  what  becomes  of  him  after  that.  All  I 
want  is  to  get  him  out  of  the  country  until  I  can 
have  time  to  pack  up  and  leave  for  Europe.  Come, 
Edmund,  bring  the  yawl  alongside  and  stand  by  to 
take  your  prisoner  ashore,  and,  Coulte,  while  he  is 
doing  that,  you  and  Pierre  take  Craven  into  the  hold 
and  stow  him  away  there." 

The  Frenchman  and  his  boys,  who  were  not  at  all 
pleased  with  this  arrangement,  started  off  to  obey  the 
commands  of  their  superior,  and  the  captives,  who 
had  listened  eagerly  to  their  conversation,  turned 
and  looked  at  one  another.  "  Good-by,  old  fel- 
low," said  Featherweight,  who  kept  up  a  light 
heart  in  spite  of  the  gloomy  prospects  before  him. 


190  THE    sportsman's    CLUB 

*'  Do  you  suppose  that  we  shall  ever  see  each  othei 


again  : 


?" 


"We  will  if  they  ever  give  us  half  a  chance  to 
get  away  from  them,"  replied  Chase.  "  They  had 
better  never  take  their  eyes  off  of  me.  But  I  say, 
Fred,  I  believe  I'd  rather  be  in  my  boots  than 
yours." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it.  You  will  be  on  shore  near 
friends  all  the  time,  and  your  chances  for  escape 
or  rescue  will  be  much  better  than  mine ;  for  I 
shall  be  shut  up  in  a  dark  hole  during  a  voyage  of 
six  hundred  miles.  That's  not  a  pleasant  idea,  I  tell 
you.  Suppose  the  schooner  should  go  down  in  a 
storm  while  w^e  are  crossing  the  Gulf?  They'd 
never  think  of  coming  below  to  release  me." 

"  And  if  you  reach  Havana  in  safety,  there's  the 
Spanish  sea  captain,"  chimed  in  Chase.  "  A  voy- 
acre  under  him  will  be  the  worst  part  of  the  whole 
business,  according  to  my  way  of  thinking.  Some 
of  these  old  ship-masters  are  so  brutal.  They'll 
knock  a  foremast  hand  down  with  a  belaying-pin 
without  any  provocation  at  all.  There  they  come — 
good-bye !     I  wish  I  could  shake  hands  with  you." 

The  appearance  of  Coulte  and  Pierre,  who  came 
down  the  ladder  at  this  moment,  put  a  stop  to  tho 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  191 

conversation.  The  former  carried  an  axe  in  hig 
hand  and  glared  at  Chase  as  if  he  had  half  a  mind 
to  use  it  on  him  ;  but  he  had  brought  it  down  there 
for  a  different  purpose.  He  picked  up  the  lantern, 
and  walking  around  behind  the  ladder  inserted  the 
edge  of  the  axe  into  a  crack  in  the  deck,  and 
after  a  little  exertion  succeeded  in  prying  open  a 
small  hatch  which  led  down  into  the  hold  of  the 
vessel,  and  which  fitted  into  the  deck  so  nicely  that 
a  stranger  might  have  walked  over  it  a  hundred 
times  without  discovering  it.  After  placing  his 
lantern  upon  the  deck,  so  that  its  rays  would  shine 
into  the  opening,  the  Frenchman  jumped  through 
the  hatchway  and  held  up  his  hands ;  whereupon 
Pierre  lifted  Featherweight  from  the  deck  and 
lowered  him  down  into  the  arms  of  his  father,  who 
laid  him  away  in  the  corner  of  the  hold  as  if  he 
had  been  a  log  of  wood.  This  done,  he  carefully 
examined  the  prisoner's  bands,  and  having  looked 
all  around  to  make  sure  that  everything  was  right 
in  the  hold,  sprang  out  of  the  opening,  struck  the 
hatch  a  few  blows  with  his  axe  to  settle  it  in  its 
place,  and  then  ascended  to  the  deck.  Feather- 
weight heard  him  when  he  returned  and  carried 
Chase  up  the  ladder  ;  knew  when  his   companion 


192  THE  sportsman's  club 

in  trouble  was  lowered  over  the  side  into  tlie  yawl, 
and  also  when  Mr.  Bell  left  the  vessel.  After  that 
silence  reigned,  broken  only  by  the  footsteps  of 
Edmund,  who  paced  the  deck  above.  Feather- 
weight waited  and  listened  for  a  long  time,  hoping 
that  the  man  would  come  below  and  talk  to  him — 
anything  was  better  than  being  shut  up  alone  in 
that  dark  place — and  finally  stretched  himself  out 
on  the  boards  and  tried  to  go  to  sleep. 

Chase,  who  did  not  possess  half  the  courage  and 
determination  that  Featherweight  did,  and  who  was 
inclined  to  look  on  the  dark  side  of  things,  began 
to  be  lonesome  and  down-hearted  when  he  found 
himself  standing  on  the  shore  with  Coulte  and 
Pierre ;  and  when  he  saw  that  they  continued 
to  direct  angry  glances  toward  him,  as  though  they 
regarded  him  as  the  cause  of  all  their  trouble,  he 
became  alarmed,  and  told  himself  that  perhaps 
after  all  he  would  be  much  safer  in  Featherweiirht's 
boots  than  in  his  own.  His  mind  would  have  been 
much  relieved  if  he  had  only  known  what  his  cap- 
tors intended  to  do  with  him,  but  they  did  not  show 
a  disposition  to  enlighten  him,  and  he  was  afraid  to 
ask  them  any  questions. 

As  soon  as  Edmund,  who  brought  them  off  in  the 


IX    THE    SADDLE.  193 

yawl,  had  returned  to  the  schooner,  Coulte  started 
on  ahead  to  act  as  an  advance  guard,  and  to  give 
warning,  in  case  he  saw  any  one  approaching,  while 
Pierre  busied  himself  in  untying  Chase's  feet  so 
that  he  could  walk.  After  that  he  took  his  prison- 
er's arm  and  conducted  him  through  the  woods 
until  they  reached  a  well-beaten  bridle-path,  lead- 
ing from  the  cove  to  Coulte's  plantation,  which  was 
about  four  miles  distant.  At  the  end  of  an  hour's 
rapid  walk  they  arrived  within  sight  of  the  clear- 
ing, and  discovered  the  old  Frenchman  standing  on 
the  porch  in  front  of  the  house  waiting  for  them. 
He  was  on  the  lookout,  and  when  Pierre  came  into 
view  he  waved  his  hat  as  a  signal  for  him  to  ap- 
proach. 

"  When  a  man  is  engaged  in  business  of  this  kind, 
he  can't  be  too  particular,"  said  Pierre,  now  speak- 
ino"  for  the  first  time  since  he  left  the  schooner. 
"  There  may  be  some  of  your  friends  around  here, 
for  all  I  know,  and  if  they  should  see  me  marching 
you  up  to  the  house  with  your  hands  bound  behind 
your  back,  they  would  suspect  something ;  so  I  will 
untie  you,  but  I  wouldn't  advise  you  to  try  any 
tricks." 

Chase  had  not  the  least  intention  of  trying  any 
13 


194  THE  sportsman's  club 

tricks,  for  he  was  too  completely  cowed.  While 
Pierre  was  untying  his  hands,  he  looked  all  around 
in  the  hope  of  seeing  some  friend  approaching ;  but, 
with  the  exception  of  the  old  Frenchman,  there 
was  no  one  in  sight.  For  all  that,  however,  there 
was  somebody  near  who  saw  all  Pierre's  move- 
ments, and  understood  the  meaning  of  them.  Chase 
passed  within  ten  feet  of  him,  when  he  walked  to 
the  porch  where  Coulte  was  standing,  the  concealed 
friend  watching  him  closely,  and  mentally  resolving 
that  he  would  seize  the  very  first  opportunity  to 
make  a  demonstration  in  his  favor. 

Chase  had  passed  many  a  happy  hour  under  tht 
old  Frenchman's  roof.  In  company  with  Bayard 
Bell  and  his  cousins  he  had  eaten  more  than  one 
good  dinner  there,  and  had  spent  whole  evenings 
listening  to  the  stories  of  Coulte's  hunting  adven- 
tures ;  but  he  had  never  entered  the  house  under 
circumstances  like  these,  nor  had  he  ever  before 
met  with  so  cold  a  reception.  The  Frenchman  did 
not  take  his  pipe  out  of  his  mouth,  give  a  long 
whistle,  indicative  of  pleasure,  and  exclaim  in  his 
broken  English,  ''  I  been  glad  to  zee  you,  Meester 
Shase,"  as  he  usually  did,  but  followed  him  sul- 
lenly into  the  house,   and  without  saying   a  word 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  195 

began  to  tie  Iiim — an  operation  in  which  ho  was 
assisted  by  Pierre.  When  this  had  been  done,  h^ 
picked  up  a  h'ghted  candle  that  stood  on  the  table, 
raised  a  trap-door  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  and 
descended  a  flight  of  rickety  steps  that  led  into 
the  cellar,  closely  followed  by  Pierre,  who  carried 
Chase  on  his  shoulders.  The  prisoner  was  laid 
upon  the  floor  in  a  dark  corner,  and  then  the 
Frenchman  and  his  son  ascended  to  the  room  above 
and  sat  down  to  smoke  their  pipes,  and  talk  the 
matter  over.  Their  conversation  came  plainly  to 
Chase's  ears  through  the  wide  cracks  in  the  floor, 
and  through  the  trap-door  which  they  had  left  open, 
and,  although  it  was  carried  on  in  the  French  lan- 
guage, he  understood  every  word  of  it. 

"  Well,"  said  Pierre,  after  a  long  pause,  "what's 
to  be  done?     Have  you  thought  of  anything?" 

"  I  have,"  replied  his  father.  "  We'll  adopt  Mr. 
Bell's  plan,  only  we'll  have  to  carry  it  out  on  a 
smaller  scale.  He's  going  to  take  his  prisoner  to 
Cuba ;  but  as  we  have  no  boat  large  enough  to 
make  so  long  a  journey,  we'll  have  to  take  ours  tc 
Lost  Island,  and  leave  him  there." 

"  Why,  that's  only  forty  miles  away  '."  exclaimed 
Pierre. 


196  THE  sportsman's  club 

*'  That's  plenty  far  enough.  He  can't  swim  tliat 
distance;  there's  nothing  on  the  island  that  he  can 
make  a  boat  of;  he  will  be  out  of  the  path  of  ves- 
sels going  to  and  from  New  Orleans,  and  I'd  like 
to  know  how  he  will  reach  the  main  shore  again. 
He'll  stay  there  three  or  four  days  at  any  rate, 
and  that's  all  we  want.  By  the  end  of  that  time 
we  will  have  sold  oif  our  property,  and  taken  our- 
selves safe  out  of  the  country ;  for,  of  course,  we 
can't  stay  here  any  longer.  If  he  gets  back  in 
time  to  upset  some  of  Mr.  Bell's  plans,  Avhy,  that's 
no  business  of  ours." 

*'  But  how  can  we  go  to  the  island  without  a  ves- 
sel." 

"  We've  got  as  good  a  vessel  as  we  want.  We'll 
go  in  the  pirogue.  We'll  have  to  take  care  that 
the  boy  doesn't  freeze  or  starve  to  death  before  he 
is  taken  oif  the  island,"  continued  Coulte,  ^'  and  so 
we  will  give  him  an  axe,  a  flint  and  steel,  a  blanket 
or  two,  and  provisions  enough  to  last  him  a  week. 
When  they  are  gone  he  must  look  out  for  himself." 

Another  long  pause  followed,  during  which  Pierre 
was  evidently  thinking  over  the  plan  his  father  had 
proposed.  Chase  thought  it  over  too,  and  the 
longer  he  pondered  upon  it,  the  more  earnestly  he 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  197 

hoped  that  Pierre  would  find  some  serious  objection 
to  it,  for  it  did  not  suit  him  at  all.  In  the  first 
place,  there  was  the  voyage  of  forty  miles  in  the 
pirogue,  the  bare  thought  of  which  was  enough  to 
make  Chase's  hair  stand  on  end.  The  pirogue  was 
a  large  canoe  capable  of  holding  about  twenty  men. 
It  was  furnished  with  a  sail  and  centre-board,  and 
before  a  light  wind  could  run,  as  the  students  used 
to  say,  "  like  a  scared  deer."  She  had  considerable 
breadth  of  beam  for  a  vessel  of  that  description, 
and  could  not  be  easily  overturned ;  but  still  she 
was  not  the  craft  that  Chase,  if  he  had  been  allowed 
to  have  his  own  way,  would  have  selected  for  a 
voyage  of  forty  miles  across  the  Gulf,  especially 
at  that  season  of  the  year.  There  were  not  many 
chances  in  a  thousand  that  she  would  accomplish 
the  journey  in  safety. 

In  the  next  place  there  was  the  prospect  of  a 
lonely  residence  on  the  island,  and  that,  under  the 
existing  circumstances,  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant 
thing  to  look  forward  to.  Lost  Island  was  a  most 
inhospitable  place.  No  one  lived  on  it,  and  Chase 
had  never  heard  of  a  vessel  stopping  there.  It 
was  low  and  sandy,  and  in  calm  weather  there  were 
perhaps  a  thousand  acres  of  it  out  of  water ;  but 


108  THE   sportsman's    CLUB 

during  a  storm  the  waves  washed  all  over  the  lower 
end  of  it,  leaving  in  sight  only  a  solitary  bluff, 
about  a  hundred  feet  high,  which  was  the  only  spot 
on  the  island  that  was  covered  with  timber.  Like 
most  boys  of  his  age,  Chase  had  read  and  admired 
Robinson  Crusoe,  and  if  his  captors  had  only  given 
him  a  gun,  plenty  of  ammunition,  and  a  companion 
like  his  friend  Wilson  or  the  jolly  little  Feather- 
weight, he  would  have  had  no  objections  to  imitating 
that  adventurer's  manner  of  life  for  a  short  time. 
There  would  be  something  romantic  in  it,  and  they 
would  have  so  much  to  talk  about  when  they  came 
back  !  But  to  be  put  off  there  by  himself  in  the 
dead  of  winter,  with  only  a  week's  provisions,  and 
a  fair  prospect  of  starving  to  death  when  the  sup- 
ply was  exhausted,  was  a  different  matter  altogether. 
He  could  see  no  fun  or  romance  in  that,  and  he 
didn't  want  to  go  to  Lost  Island !  but  Pierre  evi- 
dently thought  it  just  the  place  for  him,  for,  after 
turning  the  matter  over  in  his  mind  for  some  min- 
utes, he  said  to  his  father  : 

*'  Your  plan  is  the  best  that  could  be  adopted. 
We'll  start  this  very  night,  and  we'll  go  down  now 
and  put  the  pirogue  in  the  water  and  get  every 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  199 

thing  ready.     I  will  go  after  the  sail  and  oars,  and 
you  can  lock  up  the  house." 

Pierre  left  the  cabin,  and  his  father  raised  the 
trap-door  and  went  down  into  the  cellar  to  take 
another  look  at  the  prisoner.  He  tightened  up  a 
little  on  the  ropes  with  which  he  was  confined,  and 
when  he  went  out  of  the  cellar  he  piled  the  bureau, 
table  and  all  the  chairs  upon  the  door  so  that  it 
could  not  be  raised  from  below.  Having  thus,  as, 
he  thought,  put  it  out  of  Chase's  power  to  ascend 
out  of  the  cellar,  even  if  he  succeeded  in  freeing 
his  hands  and  feet,  Coulte  locked  the  door  of  the 
house  and  joined  Pierre,  who  stood  with  a  sail  on 
one  shoulder  and  a  pair  of  oars  on  the  other,  ready 
to  start  for  the  bayou  where  the  pirogue  lay. 

Pierre  little  dreamed  how  near  he  came  to  dis- 
covering something,  while  he  was  securing  the  sail 
and  oars  that  belonged  to  the  pirogue.  They  were 
kept  in  one  of  the  corn-cribs — a  log  building  about 
twenty  feet  long  and  fifteen  feet  high,  w^hich  was 
filled  with  corn  in  the  ear  to  a  level  with  the  eaves. 
A  ladder  on  the  outside  of  the  building  led  up  to  a 
small  door  ten  feet  from  the  ground.  As  Pierre 
mounted  this  ladder  he  was  surprised  to  see  that 
the  door,  which   he  was  always    careful    to   keep 


200  THE  sportsman's  club 

closed,  Avas  ajar ;  and  when  he  reached  in  to  get 
the  sail  he  found  that,  instead  of  being  rolled  up 
as  it  wa,s  when  he  left  it,  it  was  spread  out  over  the 
corn.  He  thought,  too,  that  the  sail  had  increased 
wonderfully  in  weight  since  the  last  time  he  handled 
it,  for  it  was  all  he  could  do  to  pull  it  out  of  the 
crib.  But  he  got  it  at  last,  and  the  oars  too  ;  and 
after  closing  and  fastening  the  door  he  backed  down 
the  ladder  to  the  ground. 

No  sooner  had  the  sound  of  his  footsteps  died 
away  than  a  boy,  who  was  snugly  hidden  among 
the  corn,  lifted  a  very  pale  face  and  turned  it  to- 
wards the  door,  and  after  picking  up  his  hat,  which 
had  been  knocked  oif  his  head  by  the  sail  when 
Pierre  drew  it  out  of  the  crib,  cautiously  raised 
himself  to  a  sitting  posture,  and  waited  to  recover 
from  the  fright  he  had  sustained.  He  listened  in- 
tently all  the  while,  and  having  satisfied  himself  at 
last  that  Pierre  did  not  intend  to  return  to  the  crib, 
he  crept  carefully  over  the  corn  to  the  opposite  end 
of  the  building,  and,  looking  out  between  the  logs, 
saw  him  and  his  father  disappear  in  the  woods  ca 
the  opposite  side  of  the  clearing. 

"Now,  that's  what  I  call  a  close  shave,"  said  he, 
drawing  a  long  breath.     "  I'd   give  something  to 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  201 

know  what  they  would  have  done  with  inc  if  they 
had  found  me  here.  That  fellow  who  pulled  the 
sail  oif  me  is  one  of  those  who  attacked  us  last 
night  in  Mr.  Gaylord's  yard.  I  know  him,  if  he 
hasn't  got  his  pea-jacket  and  tarpaulin  on.  I  won- 
der where  they  are  going,  and  whether  or  not  they 
will  be  away  long  enough  for  me  to  do  something 
for  Chase. 

It  was  Leonard  Wilson  who  spoke.  Instead  of 
riding  straight  for  Bellville,  as  Chase  hoped  and 
believed  he  would,  he  had  loitered  about  in  the 
woods  all  night,  turning  over  in  his  mind  a  hundred 
wild  schemes  for  assisting  his  distressed  friend,  and 
at  no  time  had  he  been  more  than  five  miles  away 
from  him. 

The  last  we  saw  of  Wilson,  he  was  riding  down 
the  road  post-haste,  eager  to  put  a  safe  distance 
between  himself  and  the  double-barrelled  pistol  that 
one  of  Chase's  captors  drew  from  his  pocket. 
After  he  had  run  his  horse  a  few  hundred  yards  it 
occurred  to  him  that  he  was  exhibiting  anything  but 
a  courageous  spirit  by  deserting  his  companion  in 
that  inglorious  manner,  when  he  had  a  gun  slung 
at  his  back,  both  barrels  of  which  were  heavily 
loaded  'with   buckshot.     As   this    thought    passed 


202  THE  sportsman's  club 

through  his  mind,  he  pulled  up  his  horse  with  a 
jerk,  and  being  determined  to  make  same  amends 
for  his  cowardly  behavior,  faced  about  and  went 
tearing  down  the  road  towards  the  gate,  unslinging 
and  cocking  his  gun  as  he  went.  It  was  his  inten- 
tion to  ride  boldly  into  the  yard,  level  his  double- 
barrel  at  the  heads  of  Chase's  assailants,  and  de- 
mand his  immediate  release ;  but  the  plan  was  con- 
ceived a  little  too  late  in  the  day  to  be  successfully 
carried  out ;  for  when  he  reached  the  gate,  he 
found  that  both  Chase  and  his  captors  had  disap- 
peared. 

"Never  mind,"  soliloquized  Wilson,  who  thought 
that  he  understood  the  matter  as  well  as  though  it 
had  been  explained  to  him ;  "  I  am  not  beaten  yet. 
Those  two  fellows  are  Coulte's  boys,  and  they  have 
made  a  mistake  and  captured  Chase  instead  of 
Walter  Gaylord.  But  they  shan't  keep  him  long. 
Bayard  said  yesterday  that  Coulte  is  very  much 
afraid  of  the  law,  and  I'll  test  the  truth  of  that 
assertion  the  first  thing  to-morrow  morning.  If  I 
catch  the  old  fellow  by  himself,  I  will  tell  him  if  he 
doesn't  have  Chase  set  at  liberty,  I  will  lodge  him 
in  jail  in  less  than  two  hours.  I  ought  to  go  to  his 
house  this  very  night,  and  I  would,  if  I  were  not 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  203 

afraid  that  I  should  find  his  boys  there.  I  should 
not  dare  to  threaten  them  for  fear  they  might  not 
s^are  as  easily  as  the  old  man." 

While  these  thoughts  were  passing  through  Wil' 
son's  mind  he  was  riding  along  the  road  toward  the 
residence  of  the  old  Frenrbman,  still  closely  fol- 
lowed by  Chase's  horse,  which  galloped  after  him 
like  a  dog.  He  approached  as  near  the  house  as 
he  dared,  and  then  halted  in  a  little  ravine  and  set 
about  makino;  himself  comfortable  for  the  ni^ht. 
He  started  a  fire  with  the  flint  and  steel  he  always 
carried  in  the  pocket  of  his  shooting-jacket,  built  a 
blind  to  protect  him  from  the  cold  north  wind  that 
was  blowing,  hobbled  the  horses  and  turned  them 
loose  in  the  cane  to  graze,  and  after  collecting  a 
supply  of  fire-wood,  sufiicient  to  last  until  morning, 
he  scraped  together  a  pile  of  leaves  to  serve  as  a 
bed,  pulled  his  overcoat  over  him  and  tried  to  go  to 
sleep.  But  that  was  a  matter  of  some  difficulty. 
The  recollections  of  the  exciting  events  of  the  day, 
and  his  anxiety  concerning  the  success  of  his  plans 
for  effecting  Chase's  release,  banished  sleep,  for  the 
better  part  of  the  night,  and  it  was  four  o'clock  be- 
fore he  closed  his  eyes. 

He  awoke  just  as  the  sun  was  rising,  and  as  soon 


204  THE    SPORTSMAN^S    CLUB 

as  his  eyes  were  fairly  open  lie  was  on  his  feet 
making  preparations  for  visiting  the  old  French- 
man's house.  He  pulled  on  his  overcoat,  slung  hia 
gun  over  his  shoulder,  and  stood  for  some  minutes 
looking  first  at  his  saddle  and  bridle  which  lay  on 
the  ground  near  him,  and  then  toward  the  cane, 
where  he  could  hear  his  horse  browsing,  debating 
in  his  mind  whether  he  had  better  ride  or 
walk.  lie  finally  decided  on  the  latter  course. 
His  first  care  must  be  to  ascertain  whether  or  not 
Coulte  was  at  home,  and  if  so  if  he  was  alone ;  and, 
in  order  to  accomplish  this,  he  must  approach  as 
near  the  cabin  as  he  could  without  being  discovered. 
If  he  went  on  horseback,  he  would  certainly  be 
seen  by  any  one  who  might  happen  to  be  in  the 
house  before  he  was  half  way  across  the  clearing ; 
but  if  he  went  on  foot,  he  could  make  use  of  every 
tree  and  stump  to  cover  his  approach.  Having 
settled  this  point,  Wilson  set  off  at  a  brisk  walk, 
and  in  half  an  hour  more  was  concealed  in  one  of 
the  old  Frenchman's  corn-cribs  waiting  to  see  what 
would  turn  up.  He  found  the  house  deserted, 
Coulte  having  started  off  at  the  first  peep  of  day 
to  visit  the  schooner,  and  ascertain  how  his  boya 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  205 

have  succeeded  in  their  efforts  to  capture  Walter 
Gaylord. 

"I  don't  know  "where  the  old  fellov/ has  gone," 
said  Wilson  to  himself,  taking  up  a  position  in  the 
crib  from  which  he  could  see  every  part  of  the 
house,  "  but  there  is  one  thing  certain,  and  that  is 
that  he  can't  remain  away  for  ever.  I'll  stay  hero 
and  wait  for  him.  If  he  comes  back  alone  I  will  go 
out  and  speak  to  him ;  but  if  his  boys  come  with 
him  I'll  keep  close.  The  wind  blows  cold  through 
these  cracks,  but  this  sail  will  serve  me  as  an  extra 
overcoat." 

Wilson  covered  himself  up  with  the  sail,  and  for 
the  next  two  hours  remained  quiet  in  his  conceal- 
ment, awaiting  the  old  Frenchman's  return  and 
w^ondering  where  he  was,  and  why  he  stayed  away 
so  long.  Coulte  made  his  appearance  at  last,  and 
he  came  alone,  too ;  but  his  actions  indicated  that 
there  was  some  one  behind  him  whom  he  was  ex- 
pecting every  moment.  He  walked  nervously  up 
and  down  the  porch,  stopping  every  moment  or  two 
to  gaze  at  the  woods  and  to  run  his  eyes  suspiciously 
around  the  clearing,  as  if  fearful  that  there  might  bo 
some  one  approaching  whom  he  did  not  care  to  sec. 
WilsoPi,    whose    curiosity  was    aroused,    began    to 


206  THE  sportsman's   3lup 

watch  the  woods  also,  and  presently  discovered 
Pierre  and  Chase  approaching.  He  kept  his  gaze 
fastened  on  them  as  they  walked  past  the  corn-crib 
into  the  house,  and  when  Coulte  and  his  son,  after 
confining  Chase  in  the  cellar,  seated  themselves  in 
the  doorway  to  hold  their  consultation,  Wilson 
listened  eagerly,  and  was  greatly  disappointed  be- 
cause he  was  too  far  off  to  hear  what  they  said.  He 
was  frightened,  indeed,  when  he  saw  Pierre  arise 
from  his  seat  and  approach  the  crib,  but  supposing 
that  he  wanted  some  corn  for  his  horse,  and  that 
when  he-  got  it  he  would  go  away  again,  he  drew 
the  sail  over  his  head  and  held  fast  to  it  to  keep 
the  wind  from  blowing  it  off.  Pierre  seized  the 
mast  and  gave  a  pull  at  the  sail,  but  could  not 
start  it. 

"  What's  the  matter  here  ?"  he  growled,  twisting 
the  mast  about  and  turning  it  over  as  if  he  thought 
it  had  cauf^^ht  a^ijainst  the  side  of  the  crib. 

"  If  I  let  go  and  he  lifts  up  the  sail,  it  will  be  all 
over  with  me,"  soliloquized  Wilson  ;  and  the  thought 
frightened  him,  and  he  held  on  with  more  determi- 
nation than  ever.  "Why  don't  he  get  his  corn  and 
clear  out?" 

But  Pierre  wanted  something  besides  corn.      Ho 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  207 

wanted  the  sail,  and  he  was  determined  to  have  it, 
too.  After  a  few  unsuccessful  attempts  to  lift  it 
from  the  corn  he  grew  surprised  and  angry,  and 
throwing  all  his  strength  into  his  arms  he  gave  a 
quick  jerk  and  pulled  the  canvas  out  of  Wilson's 
grasp.  The  latter  gave  himself  up  for  lost,  and  was 
very  much  amazed  as  well  as  relieved  when  he 
heard  Pierre  close  the  door  and  go  back  down  the 
ladder.  He  could  scarcely  realize  that  he  had 
escaped,  until  he  saw  him  and  his  father  disappear 
in  the  woods  on  their  way  to  the  bayou  where  the 
pirogue  lay. 


208  THE  sportsman's  club 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE   SIEGE. 

((  T^YE  learned  something,"  said  Wilson,  as  soon 
as  he  had  satisfied  himself  that  Pierre  and 
his  father  had  really  left  the  clearing  ;  "  and  that  is 
that  a  Creole  can't  see  after  twelve  o'clock.  I  can't 
account  for  his  blindness  in  any  other  way.  Now, 
the  next  thing  is  to  find  Chase.  He's  somewhere 
in  that  house,  and  I  will  get  him  out  if  I  have  to 
burn  it  over  his  head." 

Talking  thus  to  himself,  Wilson  scrambled  over 
the  corn  to  the  door,  and  there  encountered  an  ob- 
stacle. The  door  was  fastened  on  the  outside  with 
a  hasp  and  a  wooden  pin,  and  the  openings  between 
the  logs  were  so  narrow  that  he  could  not  get  his 
arm  through  to  take  the  pin  out.  After  several  in- 
effectual attempts  to  reach  the  fastenings,  he  threw 
himself  flat  on  his  back  and  sent  both  his  heavy 
boots  against  the  door  v/ith  all  his  strength ;  but 
finding  that  it  resisted  his  efi'orts,  and  that  he  was 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  209 

wasting  his  breath  to  no  purpose,  ho  jumped  up  and 
turned  his  attention  to  the  roof.  The  rafters, 
"v\hich  were  saplings  three  inches  in  diameter,  were 
placed  about  two  feet  apart  and  covered  with  narrow 
oak  boards,  laid  on  like  shingles,  and  held  in  position 
by  small  nails.  A  few  determined  kicks  scattered 
the  boards  right  and  left ;  and  when  he  had  made 
an  opening  sufficiently  large  to  admit  his  shoulders, 
he  thrust  his  head  out  and  looked  about  him.  He 
could  see  nobody  (that,  however,  was  no  evidence  that 
there  was  no  one  in  sight),  and  believing  that  his 
movements  were  unobserved,  he  clambered  out  of 
the  opening,  slid  down  the  roof  to  the  eaves,  and 
dropped  to  the  ground.  A  few  hasty  steps  brought 
him  to  the  porch,  and  a  few  more  to  the  wide  hall 
which  ran  through  the  building.  He  did  not  waste 
time  in  trying  the  door,  for  he  knew  that  Coulte 
had  locked  it  and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket,  but  ran 
at  once  to  a  ladder  which  led  to  a  loft  over  one  of 
the  rooms.  Ascending  to  the  top  with  the  agility 
of  a  squirrel,  he  threw  off  one  of  the  loose  boards 
which  formed  the  floor  of  the  loft,  and  looked  down 
into  the  room  below.  When  his  eyes  rested  on  the 
articles  that  had  been  piled  on  the  trap-door,  he 
knew  where  to  look  for  his  friend. 
14 


210  THE   sportsman's   CLUB 

"  I  say !"  lie  cried,  in  a  suppressed,  hot,  excited 
tone  of  voice. 

"  Say  it  yourself,"  was  the  answer  which  came 
faintly  to  his  ears.  "  I  knew  you  would  never  desert 
me,  old  fellow.     I  am  glad  to  see  you." 

Chase  had  not  yet  seen  his  friend,  but  he  did  see 
him  a  few  minutes  afterward,  for  Wilson  no  sooner 
heard  his  voice  coming  from  the  cellar  than  he 
dropped  into  the  room  as  lightly  as  a  cat,  and  be- 
gan throwing  Coulte's  furniture  about  in  the  most 
reckless  manner.  He  broke  a  leg  oiF  the  table, 
smashed  a  chair  or  two,  upset  the  bureau,  scattering 
its  contents  over  the  floor,  and  having  cleared  the 
trap-door,  he  slammed  it  back  against  the  wall,  and 
went  down  the  rickety  stairs  in  two  jumps. 

"  Speak  up.  Chase,"  said  he.  "It's  as  dark  as  a 
stack  of  black  cats  down  here." 

"  This  way,"  replied  the  prisoner.  "  Take  it 
easy,  and  don't  knock  your  brains  out  against  the 
beams  overhead.  We've  plenty  of  time,  for  Coulte 
and  Pierre  won't  be  back  for  two  hours.  They've 
gone  down  to  the  bayou  to  launch  the  pirogue,  and 
get  it  ready  to  take  me  to  Lost  Island  to-night." 

"Eh!"  exclaimed  Wilson,  in  great  amazement. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  211 

''Were  they  going  to  carry  you  to  sea  in  a  dug- 
out ?" 

^'  Certainly.  It  was  their  intention  to  run  me  oiF 
to  the  island  and  leave  me  there  until  they  could 
have  time  to  pack  up  and  move  to  some  other  coun- 
try. That  isn't  the  most  surprising  thing  I  have  to 
tell  you,  either.     What  did  you  come  here  for?" 

It  was  no  wonder  that  Chase  expressed  a  little 
curiosity  on  this  point,  for  Wilson's  actions  did  not 
indicate  that  he  had  come  there  for  any  purpose  in 
particular.  He  stood  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets, 
lookino;  down  through  the  darkness  in  the  direction 
from  which  Chase's  voice  came,  but  he  did  not  make 
any  move  to  release  him.  He  was  thinking  of  the 
proposed  voyage  in  the  pirogue,  and  wondering  if 
the  old  Frenchman  and  his  son  were  really  reckless 
enough  to  attempt  it.  The  question  propounded 
by  his  friend  brought  him  to  his  senses,  however, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  more  the  prisoner  was  stand- 
ing; erect,  and  Wilson  was  shakino;  his  hand  as 
though  he  had  not  met  him  for  years. 

"  We'll  not  stay  here  another  instant,"  said 
Chase,  hurriedly.  "  This  is  the  second  time  that 
my  liberty  has  been  restored  to  me  to-day,  and  now 


212  THE  sportsman's  club 

I  intend  to  make  use  of  it.  Do  jou  know  any- 
thing about  mj  horse  ?" 

"  I  left  him  in  the  canebrakes  with  mine,  not  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  here.  We'll  be  in  the  sad- 
dle, and  on  our  way  home  in  less  than  fifteen  min- 
utes.    Is  there  anything  to  eat  in  this  house  ?" 

"  Plenty  of  it.  Coulte  always  keeps  his  larder 
well  supplied." 

"  I  wonder  if  he  would  raise  any  objections  to 
our  eating  a  loaf  or  two  of  his  bread,  and  drinking 
three  or  four  pans  of  milk  ?  I'm  hungry.  I  haven't 
tasted  a  mouthful  since  we  ate  lunch  yesterday." 

"Neither  have  I.  We  don't  care  whether  h) 
objects  or  not.  He  got  us  into  this  scrape,  and  he 
certainly  ought  to  feed  us." 

The  boys  had  by  this  time  reached  the  top  of  the 
cellar-stairs,  and  after  slamming  down  the  door  as 
if  they  meant  to  burst  it  off  its  hinges,  they  made 
a  movement  toward  the  cupboard.  The  sight  that 
met  their  eyes  as  they  opened  the  door  was  a  most 
welcome  one  to  them.  There  was  bread,  meat  and 
milk  in  abundance,  and  in  a  remarkably  short 
space  of  time  the  hungry  boys  had  completely 
cleared  some  of  the  shelves.  They  kept  both  hands 
emfloyed — one    in   crowding    the  food    into   their 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  213 

mouths,  and  the  other  in  transferring  it  from  the 
cupboard  to  the  pockets  of  their  shooting-jackets, 
listening  the  while  with  all  their  ears,  and  trem- 
bling with  anxiety  lest  Coulte  or  Pierre  should 
steal  a  march  on  them  and  return  before  they  knew 
it.  After  they  had  laid  in  a  bountiful  supply  of 
Jread  and  meat,  and  made  way  with  a  pan  of  milk, 
they  were  ready  to  leave  the  house ;  but  just  then 
Wilson  suddenly  ceased  the  working  of  his  jaws, 
turned  his  head  on  one  side  for  a  moment,  and  held 
up  his  finger  warningly.  Chase  looked  his  sur- 
prise ;  he  could  not  say  a  word,  for  his  mouth  was 
too  full. 

"  I  heard  a  step  in  the  hall,"  whispered  Wilson, 
as  soon  as  he  could  speak. 

"It  can't  be  possible,"  said  Chase,  in  the  same 
cautious  whisper.  "  Coulte  hasn't  had  time  to  get 
half  way  to  the  bayou  yet." 

"  I  don't  care,  he's  out  there ;  or  somebody  is, 
for  I  know  I  heard  a  stealthy  foot-fall." 

The  boys  held  their  breath  and  listened,  but  the 
sound  that  had  attracted  Wilson's  attention  was 
not  repeated.  That,  however,  was  not  enough  to 
convince  him  that  he  had  been  mistaken,  and  after 
looking  about  the  room  for  a  moment,  and  up  at 


214  THE  sportsman's  club 

the  opening  through  which  he  had  come  down  from 
the  loft,  he  dropped  the  bread  and  meat  with  which 
his  hands  were  filled,  and  made  a  sign  to  Chase. 
The  latter,  comprehending  his  friend's  design,  took 
his  stand  under  the  opening,  with  his  face  to  the 
partition,  and  in  a  moment  more  Wilson  was  perch- 
ed upon  his  shoulders,  looking  over  into  the  hall. 
As  his  head  appeared  above  the  opening,  he  was 
certain  that  he  saw  some  one  spring  around  a  cor- 
ner of  the  building  out  of  sight.  He  kept  his  eyes 
fastened  on  the  spot  where  the  figure  had  disap- 
peared, and  after  the  lapse  of  two  or  three  minutes 
saw  the  top  of  a  boy's  hat  thrust  slowly  and  cau- 
tiously into  view.  Wilson  quickly  ducked  his  own 
head,  but  not  in  time  to  escape  discovery. 

"It's  he,  as  sure  as  the  world!"  exclaimed  a 
familiar  voice. 

Wilson,  finding  that  he  had  been  recognised, 
lookeii  over  into  the  hall  again,  and  boldly  faced 
the  unwelcome  visitor.  "  Ah  !  my  young  friend," 
said  he,  "is  that  you?" 

"That's  what's  the  matter,"  replied  the  b>y. 
"  You're  just  the  fellow  we  are  looking  for — the 
dentical  fellow." 

"  You're  sure  of  it,  are  you  ?     Well,  now  that 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  215 

you  have  found  me,  what  are  you  going  to  do 
about  it?" 

"  We  haven't  quite  made  up  our  minds  yet. 
We'll  tell  you  in  a  few  minutes.'* 

"  How  are  our  friends,  the  smugglers,  this  fine 
morning ;  and  how  does  Walter  Gaylord  feel  since 
Coulte's  boys  made  a  prisoner  of  him  ?  I  say  !  That 
little  plan  of  yours  didn't  work  as  smoothly  as  it 
might,  did  it  ?" 

These  words  seemed  to  enrage  the  boy,  who  began 
looking  about  for  some  missile  to  throw  at  Wilson. 
The  latter  looked  fiercely  at  him  for  a  moment, 
during  which  time  two  more  boys  came  around  the 
corner  of  the  building  and  entered  the  hall,  and 
then  swung  himself  off"  Chase's  shoulders  and 
dropped  to  the  floor.  "  What's  to  be  done  now  V* 
he  whispered.  "  There  are  Bayard  Bell  and  his 
cousins." 

The  last  time  we  saw  Bayard,  he  and  Seth  and 
Will  were  diving  into  the  bushes  to  conceal  them- 
selves from  Featherweight,  who  was  approaching 
them  at  a  rapid  gallop.  They  had  barely  time  to 
hide  behind  a  log  in  the  thicket  before  he  came  up. 
They  saw  him  open  his  eyes  in  astonishment  when 
he  discovered  the  schooner,  and  watched  him  closely 


216  THE  sportsman's  club 

while  he  hitched  his  horse,  steppe  i  into  the  yawl, 
and  pushed  off  to  visit  her.  Every  one  of  them 
regarded  his  appearance  there  at  that  particular 
time  as  a  most  unfortunate  occurrence,  and  they 
would  have  been  glad  to  prevent  him  from  going  on 
board  the  vessel,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fear  of 
raising  a  disturbance  with  him  and  thus  attracting 
the  attention  of  Mr.  Bell. 

"Everything  is  going  wrong,"  said  Bayard^ 
angrily.  "We  ought  to  be  off  now  hunting  for 
Wilson,  but  here's  another  spy  that  demands  our 
attention.  Why  did  he  come  here  where  he  isn't 
wanted  ?" 

"  He'll  certainly  be  discovered,"  remarked  Seth. 

"And  if  he  isn't,  we'll  catch  him  when  he  comes 
ashore,"  said  Bayard.  "  He  will  learn  some  things 
he  ought  not  to  know,  and  it  will  never  do  to  let 
him  go  back  to  his  friends.  I'll  just  creep  up 
through  the  bushes  and  catch  his  horse." 

This  was  easier  said  than  done.  The  pony  was 
a  vicious  little  fellow,  and  did  not  care  to  have  any 
one  except  his  master  approach  him.  When  he 
discovered  Bayard  advancing  upon  him  through  the 
thicket  he  laid  back  his  ears  as  if  to  warn  him  that 
he  had  come  near  enough ;  and  when  the  bey  arose 


i:<    THE    SADDLE.  217 

to  liis  feet  and  extended  his  hand  to  seize  him  by 
the  bridle,  the  pony  faced  about,  kicked  at  him 
with  both  heels,  broke  his  halter,  and  scampered 
away  to  carry  consternation  among  the  members  of 
the  Sportsman's  Club,  who  were  already  growing 
weary  at  the  non-appearance  of  their  jolly  little 
Secretary.  Bayard  returned  to  his  companions, 
grumbling  over  his  failure,  and  seating  himself  be- 
side them  in  the  bushes,  waited  to  see  what  was 
going  to  happen  on  board  the  schooner.  Nor  was 
he  obliged  to  wait  long,  for  before  the  next  quarter 
of  an  hour  had  passed  away  the  events  we  have 
already  described  had  taken  place;  Coulte  and 
Pierre  had  gone  ashore  with  Chase ;  and  Mr.  Bell 
had  also  left  the  vessel  and  started  for  home. 
Nothing  more  was  seen  of  Featherweight,  and  Will 
declared  that  that  was  evidence  enous^h  that  he  had 
been  discovered  and  retained  as  a  prisoner. 

"I  think  so  too,"  said  Bayard,  with  a  long  sigh 
of  relief.  ^'  He  is  out  of  the  way,  but  there  is  one 
left,  and  that  is  Wilson.  He  must  be  secured  at 
all  hazards,  and  that  too  before  he  reaches  the 
village." 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  with  him  when  we  get 
bim  ?"  asked  Seth.     "  We've  no  place  to  keep  him." 


218  THE  sportsman's  club 

"  Let's  catcli  him  first,  and  talk  about  that  after- 
ward," replied  Bajard.  "  I  am  more  than  ever 
interested  in  the  welfare  of  this  band,  now  that  I 
know  that  my  father  is  connected  with  it.  That 
gets  ahead  of  me  completely,  for  I  never  dreamed 
of  such  a  thing." 

Bayard  and  his  cousins,  being  eager  to  begin  the 
pursuit,  did  not  linger  to  talk  this  matter  over,  but 
made  the  best  of  their  way  toward  the  ravine  where 
they  had  left  their  horses.  After  they  had  mounted, 
the  question  arose :  which  way  should  they  go  to 
find  Wilson  ?  Considerable  time  was  consumed  in 
debating  this  point,  but  it  was  finally  decided  that 
the  only  thing  they  could  do  was  to  ride  along  the 
road  toward  the  village.  If  Wilson  had  not  already 
gone  there,  they  would  certainly  intercept  him  by 
following  this  course ;  but  if  he  had  reached  the 
town  and  spread  the  alarm,  why  then  the  mischief 
was  done  and  could  not  be  undone.  They  would 
then  go  to  Mr.  Bell  and  let  him  decide  what  steps 
should  be  taken  next.  This  being  settled,  they 
started  off  at  a  rapid  gallop,  which  they  kept  up 
until  they  had  entered  the  old  Frenchman's  clear- 
ing and  were  half  way  across  it,  and  then  Bayard, 
who  was  leading  the  way,  suddenly  pulled  up  his 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  219 

horse  and  pointed  toward  the  house.  lis  oousins 
looked  in  the  direction  indicated  just  in  time  to  see 
a  boy,  "who  looked  very  much  like  the  one  of  whom 
they  were  in  search,  drop  down  from  a  corn-crib 
and  run  into  the  hall. 

"  There  he  is !"  exclaimed  Bayard,  gleefully. 
"  We're  all  right  now.  He  hasn't  been  to  the  vil- 
lage at  all,  and  consequently  has  told  no  one  of  our 
secret." 

"How  do  you  know  that?"  asked  Will,  who 
thought  his  cousin  rather  hasty  in  forming  his  con- 
clusions. 

*'  Why,  he's  here  alone,  isn't  he  ?  If  he  had 
visited  any  of  the  settlers  and  told  them  what  he 
heard  us  say-  yesterday,  and  what  happened  last 
night  in  Mr.  Gaylord's  yard,  some  of  them  would 
have  been  here  with  him.  I  feed  greatly  encou- 
raged.   Let's  surround  the  house  and  capture  him." 

"  And  if  we  come  to  close  quarters  with  him,  be 
careful  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  his  fists,"  added 
Will.  "  He's  as  strong  as  a  horse,  and  he  isn't 
afraid  of  anything." 

Bayard  waved  his  hands  right  and  left,  and  his 
cousins  separated  and  dismounted  on  opposite  sides 
of  the   house.     Aft«r   hitching  their  horses   they 


220  THE  sportsman's  club 

entered  the  hall  on  tiptoe  just  as  the  fugitives  had 
finished  their  raid  on  the  old  Frenchman's  eata- 
bles, and  were  discovered  in  the  manner  we  have 
described. 

*'  Fellows,"  whispered  Bayard,  when  Wilson  had 
dropped  back  into  the  room  after  holding  the  short 
colloquy  w^e  have  recorded,  ^'  there's  some  one  in 
there  with  him,  for  I  can  hear  them  talking.  It's 
Chase,  I'll  bet  a  dollar."  Then  raising  his  voice 
he  called  out :  ^'  You  were  getting  ready  to  leave, 
were  you  ?  It  seems  we  arrived  just  in  time.  We've 
got  you  both  right  where  we  want  you.  We'll 
teach  you  to  play  eavesdropper  before  we  are  done 
with  you." 

Chase  and  Wilson  made  no  reply  to  this.  The 
latter,  who  did  not  intend  to  be  cheated  out  of  his 
dinner,  even  if  there  were  enemies  almost  within 
reach  of  him,  once  more  picked  up  his  bread  and 
meat,  and  while  he  was  devouring  it  ran  his  eyes 
all  around  the  room  as  if  searching  for  some  avenue 
of  escape. 

"  You  needn't  keep  so  still  in  there,"  continued 
Bayard  in  a  louder  tone.  "  We  kn  dw  just  how  the 
thing  stands." 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  221 

«'  Well,  what  of  it  ?"  demanded  Chase.  "  What 
do  you  propose  to  do  about  it?" 

^'  Ah  !  my  young  boy,  I  thought  you  were  there,'* 
cried  Bayard,  recognising  Chase's  voice.  "  We 
don't  intend  to  do  much.  We'll  just  keep  you  in 
that  room  till  Coulte  comes  home — that's  all." 

"  We'd  like  to  see  you  do  it,"  replied  Wilson, 
angrily.  "  We're  coming  out  now,  and  if  any  of 
you  stand  in  our  way  you'll  get  hurt.  We  don't 
want  anything  more  to  do  with  you,  and  you  will 
save  yourselves  trouble  by  going  off  and  minding 
your  own  business." 

As  Wilson  said  this  he  and  Chase  once  more  laid 
down  their  bread  and  meat,  and  began  making 
preparations  to  leave  the  room. 

As  the  door  was  locked  and  Coulte  had  the  key 
in  his  pocket,  there  was  but  one  way  this  could  be 
done,  and  that  was  by  going  out  at  the  hole  in  the 
floor  of  the  loft  where  Wilson  had  come  in.  Their 
first  move  w^as  to  restore  the  bureau  to  an  upright 
position  and  pull  it  under  the  hole;  and  their  next 
to  spring  upon  the  top  of  it,  settle  their  hats  firmly 
on  their  heads,  push  back  their  sleeves,  and  make 
other  demonstrations  indicative  of  a  resolve  tc  give 


222  THE   SrORTSMAN's   CLUB 

Bayard  and  liis  cousins  a  warm  reception  if  they 
dared  to  attack  them. 

"I  will  go  first,"  said  "Wilson.  "I  know  they 
will  pitch  into  me  the  moment  I  touch  the  floor, 
but  I  am  good  for  two  of  them  if  you  will  manage 
the  other." 

''  Trust  me  for  that,"  said  Chase. 

"  Be  ready  to  follow  me  without  the  loss  of  an 
instant,"  continued  Wilson,  earnestly.  *'  Strike 
right  and  left,  and  don't  be  at  all  particular  where 
you  hit.  As  soon  as  we  have  beaten  them  off*  we'll 
run  for  our  horses." 

While  these  preparations  were  being  made  on  the 
inside  of  the  room,  Bayard  was  equally  busy  on 
the  outside.  Ilis  ears  kept  him  posted  in  all  that 
was  going  on  on  the  other  side  of  the  partition, 
and  when  he  heard  Chase  and  Wilson  mo  vino;  the 
bureau  across  the  floor,  he  knew  what  they  intended 
to  do,  and  set  to  work  at  once  to  defeat  their  de- 
signs. 

"  Our  only  chance  is  to  keep  them  in  that  room 
until  Coulte  returns,"  said  he,  to  his  cousins. 
"  If  we  allow  them  to  come  out  they  will  give  us 
more  than  we  can  attend  to,  for  they  are  well  nigh. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  223 

desperate.     Seth,  run  to  the  crib  and  bring  us  an 
armful  of  corn." 

^' What  for?"  asked  that  worthy. 

"  Why,  to  throw  at  them,  of  course.  Be  quick, 
now." 

Seth  hurried  off  and  presently  returned  with  twc 
or  three  dozen  ears  of  corn,  which  he  deposited  on 
the  floor  of  the  hall.  Bayard  and  Will  caught  up 
an  ear  in  each  hand,  and  placing  themselves  in 
favorable  positions  for  throwing,  waited  for  one  of 
the  boys  on  the  other  side  of  the  partition  to  show 
himself. 

"  Better  keep  close  in  there,"  said  Bayard,  when 
he  heard  Chase  and  Wilson  push  the  bureau  against 
the  wall  and  spring  upon  it.  "  We're  ready  for 
you,  and  if  you  know  when  you  are  well  off  you 
won't  try  to  come  out." 

"  Who  asked  for  your  advice  ?"  demanded  Chase. 
"We  are  coming,  and  when  we  get  out  into  that 
hall  we  don't  want  to  find  you  there." 

"We'll  be  in  Bellville  in  about  four  hours," 
chimed  in  Wilson;  "and  when  we  get  there  won't 
we  have  a  nice  story  to  tell  about  you  ?  My  eye  J 
I  wouldn't  be  in  your  place  for  a  whole  cart-load 
of  money." 


224  THE  sportsman's  club 

"You're  not  in  Bellville  yet,"  replied  Bayard, 
in  a  voice  that  was  rendered  almost  indistinct  with 
passion.  "  Keep  down,  I  say.  We  give  you  fair 
warning  that  the  first  one  who  shows  himself  will 
get  his  head  broken." 

Wilson,  not  in  the  least  daunted  by  this  threat, 
seized  the  uppermost  log  of  the  partition  with  both 
hands,  and  began  scrambling  out  of  the  hole ;  but 
scarcely  had  the  top  of  his  hat  appeared  in  view 
when  three  heavy  ears  of  corn,  propelled  with  all 
the  force  that  sinewy  arms  could  give  them,  shot 
up  from -below — one  passing  within  an  inch  of  his 
head,  another  knocking  off  his  hat,  and  a  third 
striking  him  on  the  shoulder  and  sending  him  back 
into  the  room.  He  landed  on  his  feet  on  the 
bureau,  but  would  have  fallen  if  Chase  had  not 
caught  him  in  his  arms. 

"Are  you  hurt?"  asked  the  latter,  in  alarm. 
"Not  in  the  least,  only  astonished,"  replied  his 
companion.  "They  are  too  sharp  to  allow  us  to 
come  to  close  quarters  with  them.  I  didn't  think 
they  would  resort  to  a  trick  like  that,  and  I  am 
satisfied  now  that  we  can't  go  out  that  way,  I 
would  as  soon  face  bullets  as  those  ears  of  corn. 
We  must  try  strategy." 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  225 

*'  And  we  must  be  in  a  hurry  about  it,  too,"  re- 
plied Chase,  ^'  for  we  have  already  wasted  a  good 
deal  of  valuable  time.  Coulte  may  return  at  any 
moment." 

"  We're  in  a  bad  scrape,"  said  Wilson,  beginning 
to  get  discouraged. 

"  Yes,  we  are ;  but  still  we  are  better  off  than 
Fred  Craven.  He's  in  a  fix,  I  tell  you ;  and  he 
got  into  it  by  trying  to  help  me.  He's  a  prisoner 
on  board " 

A  single  word  we  utter,  or  an  act  that  we  per- 
-form,  is  sometimes  recalled  to  our  minds  when  we 
least  expect  it,  and  not  unfrequently  makes  great 
changes  in  our  prospects  for  the  future.  Chase  did 
not  have  time  to  say  any  more  about  the  prisoner 
he  had  left  on  board  the  schooner,  but  what  little 
he  did  say  was  remembered  by  Wilson,  who  after- 
ward repeated  it  to  one  who  instantly  became  inter- 
ested in  Chase's  welfare,  and  succeeded  in  getting 
him  out  of  the  worst  predicament  he  had  ever  got 
into.  He  was  going  to  tell  how  he  had  met 
Featherweight,  and  to  repeat  all  that  had  passed 
between  them,  when  Bayard  called  out : 

"  You  haven't  started  for  Bellville  yet,  have 
you  ?  I  think  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  you 
15 


226  THE  sportsman's  club 

will  have  a  chance  to  tell  those  stories  about  us. 
Hollo,  here  !     You're  just  in  time." 

A  heavy  step  sounded  in  the  hall,  and  some  one 
growled  out  in  reply  to  Bayard's  salutation  : 

"  Hollo  yourself !  What  are  you  doing  in  this 
house  ?  I've  seen  enough  of  you,  and  you  had 
better  make  yourselves  scarce  about  here,  sudden." 

"That's  Pierre,"  whispered  Chase,  in  great 
alarm.     "  We're  done  for  now." 

Yes,  it  was  Pierre.  When  he  reached  the 
bayou  he  found  that  the  pirogue  was  in  need  of 
some  repairs.  Long  exposure  to  the  sun  had 
opened  wide  seams  in  her  sides,  and  these  must  be 
caulked  before  she  was  put  into  the  water.  Pierre 
at  once  returned  to  the  house  to  get  the  necessary 
implements,  and  arrived  there  just  in  time  to  be  of 
assistance  to  Bayard  and  his  cousins.  The  fugi- 
tives were  dismayed  when  they  heard  his  voice. 
They  stood  irresolute  for  a  moment,  and  then  began 
running  about  the  room,  moving  with  cautious  foot- 
steps, and  darting  from  side  to  side  like  a  couple  of 
rats  cornered  in  an  oat-bin.  They  heard  a  few 
words  of  the  conversation  that  was  carried  on  in 
the  hall,  but  they  were  too  nearly  overcome   with 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  227 

terror,  and  too  completely  absorbed  in  their  desire 
to  escape,  to  pay  much  attention  to  it. 

*'  If  you  knew  what  an  important  service  we 
have  just  rendered  you,  you  wouldn't  be  in  such  a 
hurry  to  order  us  to  make  ourselves  scarce  about 
here,"  said  Bayard,  addressing  himself  to  Pierre. 
"  You  left  a  prisoner  here,  didn't  you  ?" 

"What  of  him?"  demanded  Pierre,  and  this 
time  he  spoke  in  a  very  different  tone  of  voice. 
*'  Have  you  seen  him  ?     Has  he  escaped  ?" 

"  Do  you  remember  the  fellow  you  allowed  to  go 
at  liberty  last  night  when  you  captured  Chase?" 
continued  Bayard.  "  Weil,  he  has  been  hanging 
around  here  watching  you  ;  and  a  few  minutes  ago 
he  came  into  the  house,  tore  a  hole  in  the  floor  of 
the  loft—" 

"Where  is  he  now?"  interrupted  Pierre,  who 
did  not  like  Bayard's  roundabout  way  of  getting  at 
things. 

"  He's  in  that  room,  and  so  is  Chase.  They 
would  have  come  out  and  made  off  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  us  ;  but  we  drove  them  back  by  throwing  corn  at 
them." 

Before  Bayard  had  .  finished  his  explanation 
Pierre  was  trying  to  force  an  entrance   intc    the 


228  THE  sportsman's  club 

room.  He  produced  a  key  from  his  pocket  and 
unlocked  the  door,  but  it  refused  to  open  for  him, 
for  it  was  securely  fastened  on  the  inside  by  a 
heavy  hickory  poker,  one  end  of  which  had  been 
placed  under  the  lock,  and  the  other  firmly  braced 
against  the  floor. 

"Open  here!"  shouted  Pierre,  "or  it  will  be 
worse  for  you  when  I  get  inside." 

No  answer  was  returned,  and  Pierre,  filled  with 
rage,  began  trying  to  burst  the  door  open  by 
placing  his  brawny  shoulders  against  it  and  pushing 
with  all  his  strength,  and  then  kicking  it  with  his 
heavy  boots  ;  but  his  efforts  were  useless,  and  he 
finally  desisted  and  turned  his  eyes  toward  the  lad- 
der that  led  toward  the  loft. 

"  Don't  try  to  go  in  that  way,"  said  Bayard. 
*'  They  are  plucky  fellows,  and  they  would  throw 
something  at  you  the  moment  you  showed  your  face 
above  the  partition.      Cut  the  door  down." 

Pierre  thought  this  good  advice.  He  hurried  out 
of  the  hall  and  presently  returned  with  an  axe,  with 
which  he  attacked  the  door  furiously.  The  hinges 
held,  and  so  did  the  lock ;  but  the  inside  of  the 
door  gave  way,  and  in  a  few  seconds  Pierre  had 
cut  a  hole  large  enough  to  admit  him  into  the  room. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  229 

He  cautiously  thrust  his  head  into  it,  but  could  see 
no  one.  He  reconnoitred  the  interior  thoroughly, 
and  finally,  with  an  exclamation  of  amazement, 
worked  his  way  hastily  through  the  opening. 
There  was  the  broken  furniture  which  the  boys  had 
scattered  about  the  room,  the  open  cupboard  with 
the  empty  shelves,  and  the  bread  and  meat  they 
had  left  behind  them  ;  but  the  boys  themselves  wero 
nowhere  to  be  seen. 


230  THE  sportsman's  club 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HOW  WILSON  ESCAPED. 

"OAYARD  and  his  cousins  squeezed  themielvea 
through  the  hole  in  the  door,  one  after  the 
other,  all  of  them  revolving  in  their  minds  some 
tantalizing  remarks  they  intended  to  address  to 
Chase  and  Wilson  when  they  saw  them ;  and  the 
surprise  and  bewilderment  they  exhibited  when 
they  found  the  room  empty,  were  quite  equal  to 
Pierre's.  The  latter,  after  looking  all  about  the 
apartment  to  make  sure  that  the  boys  were  not 
there,  lighted  a  candle,  threw  open  the  trap- 
door, and  dived  into  the  cellar,  where  he  spent 
some  time  in  overturning  the  boxes  and  barrels 
that  were  stowed  around  the  walls ;  and  when  he 
came  out  again  the  expression  his  face  wore  was  a 
suflBcient  indication  that  his  search  had  been  fruit- 
less. 

"Now,  see  here,"  said  he,  looking  savagely  at 
Bayard ;  "  what  sort  of  a  story  is  this  you  have 
been  telling  me?" 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  231 

"1  told  you  the  truth,"  replied  the  boy,  retreat- 
ing hastily  toward  the  door  as  Pierre  advanced 
Dpon  him.  "  Wilson  was  certainly  in  this  room, 
because  we  all  saw  him  when  he  made  an  attempt 
to  climb  out  of  that  hole  in  the  loft.  Look  around 
a  little.     He's  here,  I  know  he  is." 

Pierre,  who  believed  that  Bayard  was  trying  to 
mislead  him  for  some  purpose  of  his  own,  and  who 
had  been  on  the  point  of  giving  him  a  good  shaking 
with  a  view  of  forcing  the  real  facts  of  the  case  out 
of  him,  looked  toward  the  other  boys  for  a  con- 
firmation of  this  story.  Seth  and  Will  loudly  pro- 
tested that  their  cousin  had  told  the  truth,  and 
nothing  but  the  truth,  and  Pierre,  being  in  some 
measure  convinced  by  their  earnestness,  lifted  the 
table  from  the  floor,  and  after  pushing  it  against 
the  wall  to  enable  it  to  retain  an  upright  position, 
placed  his  candle  upon  it,  and  set  to  work  to  give 
the  apartment  a  thorough  overhauling. 

^'  If  they  were  in  the  room  when  1  reached  the 
house,  they  must  be  here  now,"  said  he,  "for  there 
is  no  way  for  them  to  get  out  except  through  the 
door  and  that  hole  in  the  loft.  Move  everything, 
and  we'll  find  them." 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  Pierre  seized  one 


232  THE  sportsman's  club 

of  the  beds,  and  pulled  it  into  the  middle  of  the 
floor,  and  there,  snugly  hidden  behind  a  pile  of 
saddles,  old  blankets,  boots,  hats,  boxes,  and  a 
variety  of  other  articles  that  had  been  thrown 
under  the  couch  for  safekeeping,  was  Henry  Chase. 
Pierre  had  looked  under  that  same  bed  when  he 
first  came  in  ;  but  as  it  was  dark  in  the  room — there 
being  no  windows  in  the  house — and  his  examina- 
tion had  been  hastily  made,  Chase  had  escaped  his 
observation. 

"  Here's  one  of  them  !"  exclaimed  Pierre,  seizing 
the  fugitive  by  the  collar  and  lifting  him  to  his 
feet. 

*'What  did  we  tell  you?"  cried  Bayard.  "Are 
you  satisfied  now  that  we  knew  what  we  were  talk- 
ing about  ?" 

"Where's  the  other  fellow — what's  his  name?'' 
demanded  Pierre. 

"  Wilson,"  suggested  Seth. 

"I'm  sure  I  don't  know  where  he  is,"  answered 
Chase,  and  he  told  the  truth.  Just  before  he  dived 
under  the  bed,  he  saw  Wilson  running  frantically 
about  the  room  as  if  he  did  not  know  which  way  to 
turn,  but  where  he  went,  Chase  had  not  the  remotest 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  233 

idea.  "And  if  I  did  know  I  wouldn't  tell  ycu,  '  he 
added,  boldly. 

*'  You  do  know,"  exclaimed  Bayard.  "  lie  was 
in  this  room  with  you  not  five  minutes  ago." 

"  I  don't  deny  that,  but  still  I  don't  know  where 
he  is.  0,  you  may  strike  me,  if  you  feel  so  in- 
clined," added  Chase,  as  Pierre  drew  back  his 
clenched  hand,  "but  I  can't  tell  you  a  thing  I 
don't  know,  can  I?" 

"  Bring  me  something  to  tie  him  with,"  said 
Pierre,  turning  to  Bayard  ;  "  one  of  those  bridles 
will  do.  We'll  make  sure  of  him,  now  that  we  have 
got  him,  and  then  look  for  the  other." 

Bayard  brought  the  bridle  with  alacrity,  and 
even  assisted  in  confining  Chase's  arms,  the  latter 
submitting  to  the  operation  without  even  a  show  of 
resistance.  Pierre  used  more  than  usual  care  in 
making  the  straps  fast,  and  when  he  had  bound  the 
boy  so  tightly  that  he  could  scarcely  move  a  finger, 
he  pulled  a  chair  into  the  middle  of  the  room  and 
pushed  him  into  it.  His  short  experience  with  his 
prisoner  had  convinced  him  that  he  was  a  very  slip- 
pery fellow,  and  he  thought  it  best  to  have  him 
where  he  could  keep  his  eyes  upon  him. 

As  soon    as   Chase   had   been    disposed   of,  tho 


234  THE  sportsman's  club 

search  for  Wilson  was  renewed,  Bayard  and  hig 
cousins  lending  willing  aid.  They  began  by  ex- 
amining every  nook  and  corner  of  the  cellar,  and 
not  finding  him  there,  they  returned  to  the  room 
above  and  pulled  the  beds  to  pieces,  explored  the 
loft,  and  looked  into  all  sorts  of  impossible  places, 
even  peering  under  chairs,  and  taking  out  the 
bureau  drawers ;  and  finally,  one  after  another, 
they  made  a  journey  to  the  fire-place  and  looked  up 
the  chimney.  But  they  could  see  nothing  there. 
There  was  a  fire  on  the  hearth,  and  the  smoke  as- 
cended in  such  volumes  that  it  speedily  filled  their 
eyes  and  nostrils,  and  they  were  glad  to  draw  back 
into  the  room  for  a  breath  of  fresh  air.  Chase  sat 
in  his  chair  watching  all  their  movements  with  the 
deepest  interest.  His  friend's  sudden  and  mysteri- 
ous disappearance  astonished  and  perplexed  him  as 
much  as  it  did  anybody ;  but  he  exulted  over  it, 
while  Pierre  and  his  young  assistants  seemed  to 
be  very  much  dismayed,  especially  the  former. 
After  the  house  had  been  thoroughly  searched 
(even  the  apartment  across  the  hall  was  examined, 
although  there  was  not  the  least  probability  that 
Wilson  could  have  got  into  it),  Pierre  walked  once 
or  twice  across  the  room,  and  then  taking  down  a 


IN    THE   SADDLE.  235 

hunting-horn  from  its  nail  over  the  fire-place,  went 
to  the  door  and  blew  it  as  if  he  meant  that  it  should 
be  heard  by  everybody  for  ten  miles  around. 
When  he  came  back  he  addressed  himself  rather 
sternly  to  Bayard. 

"Now,  then,  clear  out,"  said  he.  "Be  off  at 
once,  and  never  let  me  see  your  face  again." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  Chase,  and  what 
were  you  blowing  that  horn  for  ?"  asked  Bayard, 
who  thought  it  might  be  policy  to  learn  something 
of  Pierre's  plans  before  he  left  him. 

"That's  my  own  business,"  was  the  gruff  reply. 
"  Do  you  see  that  hole  in  the  wall  ?  It  was  left 
there  for  folks  to  go  out  of,  and  I  advise  you  to 
make  use  of  it." 

Pierre  pointed  toward  the  door,  and  Bayard, 
judging  by  the  expression  of  his  countenance  that 
it  would  be  a  dangerous  piece  of  business  to  irritate 
him  by  refusing  to  comply  with  his  wishes,  sprang 
out  into  the  hall,  followed  by  his  cousins. 

"  That's  the  return  we  get  for  doing  him  a 
favor,"  said  he,  as  he  led  the  way  toward  the 
place  where  their  horses  were  tied.  "  However,  I 
don't  mind  it  much,  for  Chase  is  captured  again, 
and  if  we  can  only  secure  Wilson  we  p-re  all  right. 


236  THE  sportsman's  club 

As  he  is  not  in  the  house,  it  follows  as  a  thing  of 
course  that  he  must  be  out  of  it ;  although  how  he 
got  out  is  a  mystery  to  me.  He  has  taken  to  the 
woods,  most  likely,  and  if  we  start  after  him  at 
once  we  can  catch  him." 

Bayard  and  his  cousins  mounted  their  horses  and 
rode  off  at  a  gallop.  Pierre  watched  them  until 
they  were  out  of  sight,  and  then  went  into  the 
house  and  renewed  his  search  for  Wilson,  which  he 
kept  up  until  he  was  interrupted  by  a  hasty  step  in 
the  hall,  and  Coulte  appeared  and  looked  through 
the  broken  door.  He  had  heard  the  sound  of  the 
hunting-horn,  and  knowing  from  the  peculiar  man- 
ner in  which  it  was  blown,  that  there  was  something 
unusual  going  on  at  the  house,  he  had  hurried  back 
to  see  what  was  the  matter.  A  single  glance  at 
the  inside  of  the  room  and  at  his  son's  face,  was 
enough  to  tell  him  that  the  latter  had  some  exciting 
news  to  communicate. 

*'  Oh  !  Whew  !  Somedings  is  going  wrong  again  !'* 
he  exclaimed,  in  a  frightened  tone. 

Pierre  replied  that  there  were  a  good  many  things 
going  wrong,  and  in  a  few  hurried  words  made  him 
acquainted  with  all  that  had  happened  in  the  house 
during  the  last  fifteen  minutes,  adding  a  piece  of 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  237 

information  and  prediction  that  greatly  alarmed 
Coulte,  namely :  that  Wilson  had  again  escaped, 
and  that  in  less  than  an  hour  he  would  return  to 
the  clearing  with  an  army  of  settlers  at  his  heels. 
The  old  Frenchman  listened  eagerly  to  his  son's 
story,  only  interrupting  him  with  long-drawn  whis- 
tles, which  were  loud  and  frequent,  and  when  it 
was  finished  declared  that  it  was  necessary  to  make 
a  change  in  their  plans — that,  instead  of  waiting 
until  night  to  begin  the  voyage  to  Lost  Island,  they 
must  begin  it  at  once.  They  would  sail  down  the 
bayou  into  the  swamp,  conceal  themselves  there 
until  dark,  and  then  continue  their  journey.  What 
thoy  would  do  after  they  had  disposed  of  their  pri- 
soner, Coulte  said  he  did  not  know  ;  but  of  one 
thing  he  was  satisfied,  and  that  was,  that  they  could 
not  return  to  the  settlement  to  sell  their  property, 
as  they  had  intended  to  do.  They  had  worked  hard 
far  it,  but  they  must  give  it  up  now,  for  it  would 
probably  be  confiscated  when  the  authorities  learned 
that  he  and  his  sons  belonged  to  the  smugglers. 
This  thought  seemed  to  drive  the  old  Frenchman  to 
the  verge  of  distraction.  He  paced  up  and  down 
the  floor  with  his  beloved  pipe  tightly  clenched  be- 
tween his  teeth,  swinging  his  arms  wildly  about  his 


238  THE  sportsman's  club 

head,  talking  loudly,  sometimes  in  English  and 
sometimes  in  French,  and  declaring,  over  and  over 
again,  that  this  was  the  most  magnificent  scrape  he 
had  ever  got  into. 

"  Well,  I  can't  help  it,"  grumbled  Pierre.  "  You 
know  that  I  didn't  want  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  it  in  the  first  place.  I  told  you  just  how  it 
would  end,  and  now  there  is  no  use  in  wasting 
words  over  it.  Let's  be  moving,  for  as  long  as  we 
stay  here  we're  in  danger." 

Pierre  bustled  out  of  the  room,  and  presently 
returned  with  an  axe,  a  side  of  meat,  a  small  bag 
of  corn-meal,  and  a  couple  of  old  blankets,  which 
he  deposited  in  the  hall.  He  then  approach-ed  the 
prisoner  and  remarked,  as  he  began  untying  his 
arms — 

"  As  those  things  are  intended  for  you,  you  can 
take  them  down  to  the  boat  yourself.  Have  you  a 
flint  and  steel  ?" 

"I  have,"  replied  Chase.  "Is  that  all  you  are 
going  to  give  me  for  an  outfit?" 

"  Of  course,  and  you  may  be  glad  to  get  it,  too. 
What  more  do  you  want  ?  There's  grub  enough  to 
last  you  a  week,   blankets  to  keep  you  warn?  of 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  239 

nights,  ar.d  an  axe  to  build  your  camp  and  cut  fire- 
wood." 

"  Why,  I  want  a  gun  and  some  ammunition. 
How  am  I  going  to  get  anything  to  eat  after  that 
bread  and  meat  are  gone?" 

"  Trap  it,  that's  the  way.  Your  own  gun  is  on 
board  the  schooner ;  we've  got  none  here  to  give 
you,  and  besides,  you  don't  need  one,  and  shan't 
have  it.  Shoukler  those  things  and  come  along ; 
and  mind  you,  now,  no  tricks." 

Chase  picked  up  his  outfit  and  followed  his  cap- 
tors, who,  after  loading  themselves  with  various 
articles,  which  they  thought  they  might  need  during 
the  voyage,  led  the  way  across  the  clearing  at  a 
rapid  walk,  keeping  a  bright  lookout  on  all  sides 
to  make  sure  that  there  was  no  one  observing  their 
movements. 

About  ten  minutes  after  they  left  the  house,  an 
incident  happened  there  that  would  have  greatly 
astonished  Pierre  and  his  father,  could  they  have 
witnessed  it.  At  one  side  of  the  room  in  which 
happened  the  events  that  we  have  just  attempted 
to  describe,  was  an  immense  fire-place.  The  lower 
part  of  it  was  built  of  logs  and  lined  with  mud, 
which  had  been  baked  until  it  was  as  hard  as  a 


2-40  THE    SPORTSMAN  S    CLUB 

rock.  The  upper  part — that  is,  the  chimney — was 
built  of  sticks,  and  was  also  plastered  with  mud, 
both  inside  and  out.  As  the  chimney  had  been 
standing  nearly  ten  years  it  was  in  a  very  dilapi- 
dated state,  and  leaned  away  from  the  house  as 
though  it  meant  to  fall  over  every  moment.  Near 
the  top  were  several  holes  which  had  been  made  by 
the  sticks  burning  out  and  falling  into  the  fire- 
place ;  and  had  Coulte  and  his  son  thought  to  look 
up  at  the  chimney  when  they  left  the  house,  they 
would  have  found  that  some  of  these  holes  were 
filled  with  objects  they  had  never  seen  there  before. 
One  of  them  looked  very  much  like  the  toe  of  a 
heavy  boot ;  and  at  another  opening,  about  five 
feet  nearer  the  top,  was  something  that  might  have 
been  taken  for  a  black  hat  with  three  holes  cut  in 
it.  But  it  was  not  a  black  hat ;  it  was  something 
else. 

Shortly  after  Chase  and  his  captors  had  disap- 
peared in  the  woods,  this  dilapidated  structure 
began  to  rock  and  groan  in  the  most  alarming  man- 
ner. Huge  cakes  of  mud  fell  down  into  the  fire, 
and  had  there  been  any  one  in  the  room  at  the 
time  he  would  ha^  e  said  that  there  was  some  heavy 
body  working  its  way  down  the  chimney.    Presently 


IN    THE   SADDLE.  241 

a  pair  of  boots  appeared  below  the  mouth  of  the 
fire-place,  then  a  portion  of  a  pair  of  trowsers,  next 
the  skirts  of  an  overcoat,  and  at  last  a  human 
figure  dropped  down  among  the  smouldering  coals, 
and  with  one  jump  reached  the  middle  of  the  floor, 
where  it  stood  stamping  its  feet  to  shake  ofi"  the 
sparks  of  fire  that  clung  to  them,  pounding  its 
clothes,  scattering  a  cloud  of  soot  about  the  room, 
and  gasping  for  breath.  It  was.  Leonard  Wilson, 
but  he  did  not  look  much  like  the  neatly-dressed 
young  fellow  who  had  entered  that  room  but  a  short 
half-hour  before. 

When  Wilson  found  that  Pierre  had  returned, 
the  first  place  he  thought  of  was  the  chimney, 
which  he  believed  ofi'ered  the  best  chances  for  con- 
cealment. He  did  not  like  to  enter  it,  for  there 
was  considerable  wood  on  the  hearth ;  it  was  all  in 
a  blaze,  and  he  was  afraid  to  trust  himself  among 
the  flames ;  .but  when  he  heard  the  door  groaning 
under  the  furious  blows  of  the  axe,  he  knew  that 
he  had  no  alternative — he  must  brave  the  flames  or 
submit  to  capture.  He  saw  Chase  dive  under  the 
bed,  and  after  waiting  a  moment  to  screw  up  his 
courage,  he  bounded  lightly  across  the  floor  and 
ijprang  into  the  fire-place.  He  did  not  linger  there 
16 


242  THE  sportsman's  club 

an  instant — if  he  had,  he  must  have  been  burned  or 
suffocated,  for  the  flames  leaped  around  his  high  top- 
boots,  and  the  smoke  ascended  so  thick  and  fast 
that  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  even  the  smallest 
breath  of  air — but  mounted  at  once  into  the 
chimney,  and  placing  his  back  against  one  side  and 
his  knees  against  the  other,  quickly  worked  his 
way  as  near  the  top  as  his  broad  shoulders  would 
allow  him  to  go.  As  it  happened  there  were  two 
holes  about  half  way  up  the  chimney,  which  were 
just  large  enough  to  admit  the  toes  of  his  boots ; 
and  by  forcing  a  foot  into  each,  and  placing  his 
face  to  another  opening  nearer  the  top,  he  was  able 
to  hold  his  position  without  the  outlay  of  a  great 
deal  of  strength,  and  to  obtain  all  the  fresh  air  he 
needed.  The  flimsy  old  chimney  swayed  like  a 
tree  in  a  gale  of  wind  as  he  was  ascending  it,  and 
threatened  to  topple  over  with  him  every  instant ; 
but  it  maintained  its  upright  position  in  spite  of  his 
additional  weight,  and  afforded  him  as  perfect  a 
concealment  as  he  could  have  asked  for.  But,  for 
all  that,  he  was  glad  when  he  saw  Coulte  and  his 
son  disappear  in  the  woods,  and  felt  still  more  at 
his   ease  when  he  found  himself   safe  out  of  his 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  243 

smoky  hiding-place,  and  standing  in  tlie  middle  of 
the  room. 

"Another  close  shave,"  panted  Wilson,  pulling 
out  his  handkerchief  and  clearing  his  eyes  of  the 
dust  and  soot.  "  I  put  myself  in  danger  for  nothing, 
for  Chase  is  still  a  prisoner.  I  know  what  I  shall 
do  now :  I'll  go  straight  to  Walter  Gaylord  and 
tell  him  everything  that  has  happened.  Perhaps 
he  won't  be  very  glad  to  see  me  after  all  the  mean 
things  I  have  been  guilty  of,  but  I  can't  help  it." 

Wilson  pulled  off  his  overcoat  and  thumped  it 
energetically,  beat  his  slouch  hat  on  the  table, 
wiped  his  face  with  his  handkerchief,  and  having 
thus  made  a  little  improvement  in  his  personal  ap- 
pearance, he  hurried  out  into  the  hall  to  look  for 
his  gun,  which  he  had  laid  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder 
before  entering  the  room.  He  did  not  expect  to 
recover  it,  and  consequently  was  not  much  disap- 
pointed when  he  found  that  it  was  gone.  Knowing 
that  Coulte  or  Pierre  had  taken  charge  of  the 
weapon,  he  did  not  waste  time  in  looking  for  it. 
He  stopped  long  enough  to  shake  his  fist  at  the 
woods  where  the  two  men  had  disappeared,  and  to 
utter  the  fervent  hope  that  the  thief  would  be 
knocked  heels  overhead  by  the  gun- the  first  time 


244  THE  sportsman's  club 

he  fired  it ;  and  then  jumping  down  the  steps  drcTT 
a  bee-line  across  the  clearing  toward  the  canebrake 
where  he  had  left  his  horse.  He  carried  his  coats 
on  his  arm,  ready  to  drop  them  and  put  himself  in 
light  running  order  in  case  he  saw  Pierre  or  Bayard 
Bell  and  his  cousins  approaching ;  and  not  until  he 
reached  the  cover  of  the  woods  did  he  refjard  his 
escape  as  accomplished.  He  found  the  horses  near 
the  place  where  he  had  camped  the  night  before, 
and  when  he  had  saddled  and  bridled  both  of  them, 
he  mounted  his  own  steed  and  rode  oif  at  a  gallop, 
followed  by  Chase's  nag,  which  kept  close  behind. 
Taking  the  shortest  course  to  Mr.  Gaylord's  house, 
which  lay  through  the  thickest  part  of  the  woods, 
he  went  at  a  break-neck  pace,  leaping  his  horse 
over  logs  and  fences,  dashing  through  thickets  of 
briers  and  cane  that  seemed  almost  impassable,  and 
came  at  last  to  the  bayou  on  the  banks  of  which 
he  had  halted  with  his  companions  the  day  before 
to  eat  his  lunch.  As  he  turned  down  the  stream 
toward  the  ford,  his  attention  was  attracted  by  a 
commotion  in  the  bushes  on  the  opposite  shore,  and 
in  a  few  seconds  Walter  Gaylord  and  Phil  Perkins 
dashed  into  view.  They  pulled  up  their  horses 
when  they  discovered  Wilson,  and  after  gazing  at 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  245 

his  black  face  and  hands  for  a  moment,  Perk  called 
out-: 

"Now  just  listen  to  me  and  I'll  ask  you  a  ques- 
tion ;  have  you  turned  chimney-sweep  ?" 

"No,"  replied  Wilson.  "I've  been  in  a  chim- 
ney ;  but  I  didn't  stop  to  sweep  it  out.  I'd  like  to 
talk  to  you  fellows  a  few  minutes."  He  had  been 
impatient  to  find  Walter  and  his  friends,  but  now 
that  he  was  in  their  presence  he  wished  that  the 
interview  might  have  been  postponed  a  little  longer. 
He  did  not  feel  at  all  uneasy  concerning  the  recep- 
tion he  was  likely  to  meet  at  their  hands,  for  he 
knew  that  they  were  young  gentlemen,  and  above 
taking  a  cowardly  revenge  on  any  one ;  but  he  was 
ashamed  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  conducted 
himself  toward  them,  and  did  not  want  to  be  obliged 
to  look  them  in  the  face. 

"Well,  here  we  are,"  replied  Walter.  "What 
have  you  got  to  tell  us  ?  Have  you  seen  anything 
of  Featherweight?" 

"  No — that  is — yes  ;  I  have  heard  of  him.  I 
have  a  long  story  to  tell  you,  and  there  are  some 
things  in  it  that  will  astonish  you.  I  hope  you 
don't  bear  me  any  ill  will  for  what  happened  yes 


246  THE  sportsman's  club 

terday,  and  for  the  other  mean  tricks  I  have  don9 

you?" 

"  No,  we  don't,"  replied  Walter  readily. 

"  Now  I'll  just  tell  you  what's  a  fact,"  chimed  in 
Perk ;  "  we've  got  nothing  against  you  or  any  of 
your  crowd ;  and  if  you  will  only  be  friendly  with 
us,  we'll  meet  your  advances  half  way." 

The  boys  turned  their  horses'  heads  down  the 
stream,  and  when  they  reached  the  ford  Walter 
and  Perk  crossed  over  to  Wilson's  side,  and,  to 
show  that  they  meant  all  they  had  said,  shook 
hands  with  him  as  heartily  as  though  they  had  al- 
ways been  on  the  most  friendly  terms.  Their  man- 
ner put  Wilson  at  his  ease  at  once ;  and  without 
any  preliminary  words  he  began  and  told  the  story 
of  the  adventures  that  had  befallen  him  during  the 
last  twenty-four  hours.  To  repeat  what  he  said 
would  be  to  write  a  good  portion  of  "  The  Sports- 
man's Club  in  the  Saddle  "  over  again.  He  did 
not  know  where  Featherweight  was,  for  he  had  not 
seen  him ;  and  neither  could  he  tell  what  had  hap- 
pened to  Chase,  for  during  the  short  time  that  they 
were  besieged  in  Coulte's  house,  he  had  not  been 
allowed  an  opportunity  to  talk  to  him ;  but  he  re- 
membered the  hint  his  companion  had  given  him  of 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  247 

Featherweight's  condition,  and  repeated  his  worda 
to  Walter  and  Perk. 

"  I  have  not  the  least  idea  where  you  ought  to 
go  to  find  Fred,"  said  Wilson,  in  conclusion;  "but 
this  much  I  do  know — that  he  is  in  a  terrible 
scrape,  and  that  he  is  on  board  some  vessel.  Chase 
knows  all  about  him,  for  he  has  seen  him  and  talked 
with  him.  Now,  mj  advice,  if  you  will  allow  me 
to  offer  it,  is  this :  assist  me  in  rescuing  Chase,  and 
he  will  tell  you  where  to  find  Fred  Craven ;  and, 
more  than  that,  he  and  I  will  stand  by  you  through 
thick  and  thin,  and  do  all  we  can  to  help  you. 
What  do  you  say  ?" 

Walter  and  Perk  did  not  say  anything  immedi- 
ately, for  tbey  were  so  astonished  at  the  story  they 
had  heard  that  it  was  a  long  time  before  they  could 
speak.  They  could  hardly  believe  it  possible  that 
all  the  events  that  Wilson  had  described  had  taken 
place  in  their  immediate  neighborhood,  and  that, 
too,  without  their  knowledge  ;  and  they  would  have 
been  still  more  amazed  if  they  had  known  that 
only  a  part  of  the  story  had  been  told  them. 
What  would  they  have  thought  if  they  had  known 
that  Mr.  Bell  was  the  leader  of  the  smugglers  of 
whom  Walter  had  read  in  the  paper  the  day  before  ; 


248  THE  sportsman's  club 

that  his  vessel  was  hidden  in  a  little  cove  not  mor« 
than  two  miles  from  the  place  where  they  were  then 
standing  ;  that  Featherweight  was  stowed  away  in 
the  hold,  waiting  to  be  carried  to  Cuba ;  and  that 
when  he  arrived  there  he  was  to  be  shipped  as  a 
foremast  hand  on  board  a  strange  vessel  and  sent 
off  to  Mexico  ? 

"  Isn't  it  the  strangest  thing  in  the  world  that 
Chase  should  have  been  mistaken  for  me  ?"  cried 
Walter,  as  soon  as  he  could  speak.  "  Of  course 
we'll  stand  by  him.  How  shall  we  go  to  work  ? 
Suggest  something,  one  of  you." 

"  Now,  just  listen  to  me  a  minute  and  I'll  tell 
you  what  I  would  do,"  exclaimed  Perk.  "  Wilson, 
you  said  that  Coulte  is  going  to  take  Chase  down 
the  bayou  in  the  pirogue,  didn't  you  ?  Well,  let's 
go  home  and  get  the  Banner,  and  be  ready  to  catch 
him  when  he  comes  out." 

"  Perhaps  he  wouldn't  stop  when  we  told  him  to," 
said  Wilson. 

"  We'd  make  him.  We'd  run  over  the  pirogue 
and  sink  her.     He'd  stop  then,  wouldn't  he  ?" 

"  But  we'd  waste  too  much  time  in  following 
that  course,"  said  Walter.  "  We're  six  miles  from 
home,  and  it  would  take  two  hours  to  go  there  and 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  249 

get  the  Banner  under  way.  By  that  time  it  would 
be  pitch  dark.  It  is  forty  miles  to  the  village,  and 
ten  more  along  the  coast  to  the  bayou,  so  that  we 
would  have  to  run  fifty  miles  while  the  pirogue  was 
running  about  one  fifth  as  far.  Another  thing," 
added  Walter,  looking  up  at-  the  clouds,  "  it's  going 
to  be  a  bad  night,  and  I  don't  care  to  trust  my 
yacht  outside  in  a  gale." 

Walter  was  in  earnest  when  he  said  this,  and  it 
would  have  been  hard  work  for  any  one  to  have 
made  him  believe  that  he  was  destined  to  spend, 
not  only  the  greater  portion  of  that  night,  but  the 
whole  of  the  succeeding  week  on  the  Gulf,  while  the 
wind  was  blowing,  the  sleet  flying,  and  the  waves 
running  as  high  as  his  mast-head.     But  he  did  it. 

"I  think  the  best  plan  would  be,"  he  continued, 
"to  ride  at  once  for  the  bayou  and  cut  a  tree 
across  it — you  know  that  the  stream  is  very  narrow 
for  a  long  distance  above  its  mouth — so  that  Coulte 
can't  sail  out  with  the  pirogue.  If  we  can  keep 
him  in  the  swamp  until  morning,  we  can  get  help 
and  captuie  him.  What  do  you  think  of  that, 
Wilson  ?" 

"I  like  your   plan  the   best,"    was   the   reply. 


250  THE  sportsman's  club 

"  We  need  not  go  a  step  out  of  our  wa^  for  an  axe, 
for  we  can  get  one  at  Coulte's  house." 

While  the  bojs  were  discussing  the  matter,  the 
clear,  ringing  blast  of  a  hunting-horn  echoed 
through  the  woods.  Perk  sounded  his  own  horn  in 
reply,  and  presently  Eugene  and  Bab  galloped  up. 
Their  appearance  was  most  opportune,  and  saved 
Walter  the  trouble  of  riding  in  search  of  them. 
They  were  surprised  to  see  Wilson — they  were 
obliged  to  take  two  looks  at  him  before  they  recog- 
nised him — and  Eugene  at  first  scowled  at  him,  and 
acted  very  much  as  though  he  would  like  to  settle 
up  some  of  the  little  accounts  he  held  against  him  ; 
but  when  Walter,  after  telling  him  that  he  had 
brought  news  of  Featherweight,  repeated  the  story 
of  his  adventures,  and  described  the  plan  they  had 
just  decided  upon,  Eugene  changed  his  mind,  and 
extended  a  most  cordial  greeting  to  Wilson,  in 
which  he  w^as  joined  by  Bab. 

Of  course  there  were  a  thousand  and  one  ques- 
tions to  be  asked  and  answered,  and  during  the  ride 
to  the  bayou  the  Club  kept  Wilson  talking  con- 
tinually. They  compelled  him  to  tell  his  story  over 
and  over  again,  and  each  time  expressed  their  as- 
tcnishment  and  indignation  in  no  measured  terms. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  251 

They  all  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  Featherweight 
had  somehow  managed  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
smugglers,  and  that  he  was  detained  by  them :  but, 
of  course,  they  could  not  determine  upon  any  plans 
for  his  release  until  they  knew  where  he  was  con- 
fined, and  that  could  not  be  ascertained  until  they 
had  rescued  Chase. 

In  half  an  hour  the  boys  reached  Coulte's  plan- 
tation, and  after  reconnoitering  the  premises  to 
make  sure  that  none  of  the  family  had  returned, 
they  dismounted  in  front  of  the  porch  and  went 
into  the  house  to  secure  the  axe,  and  to  look  at  the 
room  in  which  Chase  and  Wilson  had  been  besieged. 
Everything  in  and  about  the  apartment — the  shat- 
tered door,  the  hole  in  the  floor  of  the  loft,  the 
broken  furniture,  the  empty  shelves  in  the  cup- 
board, and  the  huge  cakos  of  mud  in  the  fire-place, 
which  Wilson  had  knocked  oiF  while  he  was  coming 
out  of  the  chimney,  bore  testimony  to  the  truth- 
fulness of  his  story.  The  members  of  the  Club 
were  interested  in  everything  they  saw,  and  would 
have  overwhelmed  Wilson  with  questions,  had  not 
Walter  reminded  them  that  the  longer  they  lingered, 
the  longer  they  would  be  separated  from  Feather- 
weight.  The  mention  of  the  secretary's  name  brought 


252  THE  sportsman's  club 

them  to  their  saddles  again  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes 
more  they  had  left  the  old  Frenchman's  house 
behind  them,  and  were  galloping  through  the  wooda 
toward  the  bajou. 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  253 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

PERK   TAKES   A   BATH. 

A  S  soon  as  they  Lad  left  the  clearing,  Walter, 
-who  led  the  way  and  acted  as  commander  of 
the  expedition,  changed  his  course,  and  instead  of 
going  directly  toward  the  bayou,  held  his  way 
through  the  woods  parallel  with  the  stream,  and 
about  a  mile  distant  from  it.  He  was  afraid  that 
if  he  and  his  companions  followed  the  bank  of  the 
bayou  they  might  stumble  upon  Coulte  before  they 
knew  it,  and  he  hoped  by  this  course  to  avoid  meet- 
ing him  altogether.  Their  object  was  to  get  ahead 
of  him,  and  reach  the  mouth  of  the  bayou  first,  and 
that,  too,  without  giving  the  old  Frenchman  any 
reason  to  believe  that  he  was  pursued.  If  the  lat- 
ter knew  that  there  was  some  one  on  his  trail,  he 
might  remain  in  the  swamp,  or  try  to  reach  the 
Gulf  by  some  other  route  ;  in  which  case  they  would 
lose  the  opportunity  of  rescuing  Chase. 

For  the  next  ten  miles  the  boys  .rode  at  a  full 


254  THE  sportsman's  club 

gallop,  and  never  once  drew  rein  until  they  arrived 
on  the  bank  of  the  bayou  about  a  mile  above  its 
mouth.  This  was  the  narrowest  part  of  the  stream, 
and  they  had  selected  it  as  the  best  point  at  which 
to  intercept  the  pirogue  ;  but,  to  their  great  delight, 
they  found  that  the  wind  had  anticipated  their 
designs,  and  that  it  would  not  be  necessary  to  use 
their  axe  at  all.  A  large  poplar,  which  leaned  over 
the  bayou,  having  been  uprooted,  had  fallen  into 
the  water,  the  top  resting  near  one  shore  and  the 
butt  on-  the  other.  If  they  had  felled  the  tree 
themselves  they  could  not  have  placed  it  in  a  better 
position  for  blockading  the  bayou.  It  lay  so  close 
to  the  surface  of  the  water  that  the  smallest  canoe 
could  not  go  under  it,  and  was  so  high  that  a  vessel 
of  the  size  of  the  pirogue  could  not  be  easily  drag- 
ged over  it.  The  only  way  that  Coulte  could  pass 
would  be  to  take  the  pirogue  ashore  and  carry  it 
around  the  obstruction  ;  but  that  was  a  thing  that 
Walter  and  his  friends  did  not  intend  to  allow  him 
to  do.  He  did  do  it,  however,  and  not  one  of  the 
Club  made  the  least  effort  to  prevent  him. 

The  boys  dismounted  near  the  tree,  and  Perk, 
after  hitching  his  horse,  sprang  upon  it  and  walked 
out  over  the  water  to  see  if  he  could  discover  any 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  255 

sif^ns  of  tlie  pirogue.  It  was  already  dark — so  dark 
that  he  was  obliged  to  exercise  considerable  caution 
in  moving  along  the  log.  The  trees  threw  a  deep 
shade  into  the  water  on  each  side  of  the  bayou  ; 
but  there  was  a  bright  streak  in  the  middle,  extend- 
ing up  and  down  the  stream  as  far  as  his  eyes  rould 
reach,  and  Perk  was  certain  that  he  saw  something 
in  it.  He  listened,  and  distinctly  heard  a  rushing 
sound  such  as  a  boat  makes  when  passing  rapidly 
through  the  water.  He  was  all  excitement  in  a 
moment. 

"  Keep  close  there,  fellows,"  he  whispered, 
addressing  himself  to  his  companions  on  the  bank. 
"  We're  just  in  time.  They're  coming  as  sure  as 
the  world.  And  like  a  steamboat,  too,"  he  added, 
mentally.  "  I  hope  they  will  strike  the  tree  and 
smash  their  old  pirogue  into  kindling-wood." 

Perk  being  afraid  to  return  to  the  bank  lest  he 
should  be  discovered  by  the  men  in  the  pirogue, 
stretched  himself  out  at  full  length  on  the  log  and 
kept  his  eyes  fastened  on  the  approaching  vessel. 
In  a  few  seconds  she  began  to  loom  up  more  dis- 
tinctly through  the  darkness,  and  Perk  was  aston- 
ished at  the  amount  of  canvas  she  carried  and  the 
manner  in  which  she  was  handled.  ,  Her  huge  sail 


256  THE  sportsman's  club 

exte^ided  up  into  the  air  until  it  seemed  to  reach 
above  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and,  although  Pierre 
and  Coulte  had  seated  themselves  as  far  back  in 
the  stern-sheets  as  they  could  get,  her  bow,  instead 
of  riding  gracefully  over  the  waves,  was  forced 
down  into  them  by  every  gust  of  wind  that  filled 
the  canvas.  It  was  plain  that  Coulte  and  his  son 
were  in  a  great  hurry,  and  that  they  thought  more 
of  speed  than  they  did  of  their  own  comfort  or  the 
safety  of  the  vessel. 

"  They've  more  faith  in  that  old  tub  than  I  would 
have  if  I  was  in  her,"  soliloquized  Perk.  "  If  she 
labors  so  badly  here  in  the  bayou,  where  the  water 
is  comparatively  smooth,  and  the  wind  hasn't  half 
a  chance  at  her,  what  would  she  do  if  she  was  out 
in  the  Gulf?  But  she'll  never  get  out  there.  She's 
going  to  smash  herself  into  a  million  pieces." 

The  boys  on  the  bank,  who  had  by  this  time  dis- 
covered the  pirogue,  thought  so,  too.  She  con- 
tinued to  approach  the  log  at  almost  railroad  speed, 
and  Perk  held  his  breath  in  suspense,  and  even 
clasped  his  arms  around  the  tree  as  if  he  feared 
that  the  concussion  might  knock  him  off  into  the 
water  ;  but  Pierre,  who  handled  the  helm,  was  on 
the  watch,  and  when  the  pirogue  had  arrived  within 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  257 

ten  feet  of  the  obstruction,  he  discovered  the  danger 
and  with  one  sweep  of  his  arm  escaped  it. 

"Whew!"  whistled  Coulte,  clenching  his  teeth 
tightly  on  the  stem  of  his  never-failing  pipe,  and 
holding  fast  to  the  stern-sheets  with  both  hands  ; 
"somedings  wrong  again  !" 

"  Yes,  of  course  there  is,"  replied  Pierre. 
*'  Haven't  things  been  going  wrong  with  us  ever  since 
we  began  to  meddle  with  this  business  ?  Here's  a  log 
extending  clear  across  the  bayou,  and  I  came 
within  an  inch  of  running  into  it.  We'll  have  to 
go  ashore  and  pull  the  boat  around  it." 

While    this  conversation   was    going    on  the  pi- 
rogue, which  had  been  thrown  up  into  the  wind, 
was  drifting  down    the  stream   broadside  on,  and 
now  brought  up  against  the  log  directly  in  front  of 
the  place  where  Perk  lay.     Coulte  and  his  son  both 
saw  him  there,  but  did  not  take   a  second  look  at 
him,  supposing  him  to  be  a  huge  knot  on  the  body 
of  the  tree.     While  Perk  was  waiting  to  be  disco- 
vered, and  expecting  it  every  moment,   a  brilliant 
idea  occurred  to   him.     He  looked   over  into    the 
pirogue,  which  was  bobbing  up  and  down  with  the 
waves  scarcely  two  feet  from  him,  and  just  then  a 
figure,  which  was  stretched  out  in  the  stern  of  the 
17 


258  THE    sportsman's    CLL'B 

boat,  raised  itself  to  a  sitting  posture  anvi  said,  in 
a  frightened  voice: 

"  I  hope  there  is  no  danger.  Remember  that  I 
am  tied  hand  and  foot,  and  that  if  we  are  capsized 
I  can't  swim  a  stroke." 

"  Lie  down,  and  hold  your  tongue,"  replied  Pierre, 
savagely.  "  Small  loss  it  will  be  to  us  or  anybody 
else,  if  you  do  go  to  the  bottom  !" 

In  obedience  to  Pierre's  order  Chase — for  it  was 
he  who  spoke — tried  to  lie  down  again,  and  was  a 
good  deal  astonished  to  find  that  he  could  not  do 
it.  A  pair  of  arms  were  suddenly  thrust  out  of 
the  darkness,  strong  fingers  fastened  into  his  collar, 
and  in  a  twinkling  Chase  found  himself  lifted  bodily 
out  of  the  pirogue  and  thrown  across  the  log.  He 
looked  up  and  saw  a  dark  form  kneeling  beside 
him,  which  quickly  jumped  to  its  feet  and  catching 
him  up  in  its  arms,  started  with  him  toward  the 
bank.  It  was  Perk,  who  highly  elated  with  the 
exploit  he  had  performed,  called  out  to  his  com- 
panions on  shore : 

"  Now  just  listen  to  me  a  moment,  and  I'll  tell 
you  what's  a  fact :  I've  got  him." 

It  was  so  dark  that  Walter  and  his  friends  could 
not  see  what  was  going  on  at  the  middle  of  the 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  259 

bayou.  They  were  at  a  loss  to  deteimine  whether 
Perk  had  got  hold  of  Chase,  or  Coulte,  or  Pierre  ; 
but  knowing  by  the  tones  of  his  voice  that  he  was 
highly  excited  over  something,  they  sprang  upon 
the  log  and  ran  toward  him.  "  Hold  fast  to  him, 
whoever  he  is,"  cried  Walter.     We're  coming." 

"I'll  do  it,"  replied  Perk.  "I've  got  him,  as 
sure  as  I  am  an  inch  high." 

"  Have  you  ?"  exclaimed  a  gruff  voice.  "  Then 
bring  him  back  here  and  give  him  to  me." 

There  was  a  shuffling  of  feet  and  other  indica- 
tions of  a  brief  struggle  on  the  log,  and  angry  ex- 
clamations from  Perk,  two  or  three  savage  blows 
that  were  plainly  heard  by  the  boys  on  the  bank, 
and  then  a  loud  splashing  in  the  water,  followed  by 
a  hoarse,  gurgling  sound,  as  if  some  one  was  gasping 
for  breath.  The  boys  stood  transfixed  with  horror, 
fully  aware  that  a  desperate  fight  was  going  on 
before  them  in  the  darkness,  but  not  knowing  which 
way  to  turn  or  what  to  do  to  assist  their  friend. 
The  rapidity  with  which  this  state  of  affairs  had 
been  brought  about  utterlv  bewildered  them,  and 
for  a  moment  they  stood  speechless  and  motionless. 

"Don't  desert  me,  Perk,"  cried  Chase,  his  voice 
coming  from  the  water.     "  I  am  helpless." 


260  THE  sportsman's  club 

*' Never  fear,"  was  Perk's  encouraging  reply, 
"  It  isn't  my  style  to  desert  a  fellow  when  he's  in 
trouble.  Let  go  his  collar,  Coulte,  or  I'll  pull  you 
overboard." 

"  Whew  !  Whew  !  Everydings  is  going  wrong 
again,"  exclaimed  the  old  Frenchman ;  and  the 
boys  knew  from  the  tones  of  his  voice  and  the 
manner  in  which  he  spoke  that  he  was  struggling 
desperately  with  some  one.  "  Ah  !  oui !  everydings. 
Leave  go,  Meester  Perkins." 

"  Now  just  listen  to  me  a  moment  and  I'll  tell 
you  what  is  a  fact :  let  go  yourself,  or  come  out  of 
that  boat." 

"Take  that!  and  that!"  shouted  Pierre;  and 
then  came  the  sound  of  heavy  blows  on  the  water 
and  a  cry  of  distress  from  Perk. 

All  these  things  happened  in  much  less  time  than 
we  have  taken  to  describe  them.  It  was  probably 
not  more  than  half  a  minute  from  the  time  that 
Perk  lifted  Chase  out  of  the  boat  until  the  fight 
was  over,  but  during  that  time  his  triumph  had  been 
turned  into  utter  defeat.  When  Walter  and  his 
friends  reached  the  middle  of  the  log  the  pirogue 
had  disappeared,  and  there  was  no  one  in  sight. 

Perk  had  begun  to  exult  over  his  victory  a  little 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  261 

too  soon.  His  plan  for  releasing  Chase  was  a  bold 
one,  and  the  suddenness  with  which  it  was  carried 
into  execution  struck  both  Pierre  and  his  father 
dumb  with  astonishment.  They  saw  the  object, 
which  they  imagined  to  be  a  knot  on  the  tree,  spring 
into  life  and  action,  seize  their  prisoner  by  his 
collar  and  pull  him  out  of  the  boat,  and  they  never 
made  a  move  to  prevent  it.  It  was  not  until  they 
heard  the  sound  of  Perk's  voice  and  saw  him  jum.p 
to  his  feet  and  run  along  the  log  toward  the  bank, 
that  they  seemed  to  realize  what  was  going  on. 
Then  Pierre  aroused  himself,  and  after  a  short  fight, 
during  which  he  received  one  or  two  blows  from  the 
boy's  hard  fist  that  made  him  see  stars,  succeeded 
in  catching  him  by  the  ankle  and  pulling  him  off 
the  log. 

Perk's  sudden  immersion  in  the  cold  water  almost 
took  his  breath  away,  and  made  him  feel  for  a 
moment  as  if  every  drop  of  blood  in  his  body  had 
been  turned  into  ice ;  still  he  retained  his  presence 
of  mind  and  all  his  courage,  and  as  soon  as  he 
arose  to  the  surface,  he  caught  the  helpless  Chase 
by  the  collar,  and  lifting  his  head  above  the  water 
struck  cut  for  shore.  But  Coulte  had  by  this  time 
recovered  himself,  and  he,  too,  seized  Chase  and 


262  THE  sportsman's  club 

held  fast  to  him.  Both  boys  struggled  hard  to 
break  his  hold,  but  finding  that  the  old  Frenchman 
hung  on  like  grim  death,  Perk  laid  hold  of  his  hair 
and  exerted  all  his  streno-th  to  drag:  him  overboard 
— an  undertaking  that  he  would  have  quickly  ac- 
complished had  not  Pierre  snatched  up  an  oar  and 
struck  him  a  severe  blow  with  it.  That  did  the 
business  for  Perk.  With  a  cry  of  pain  he  released 
his  hold  of  Chase's  collar,  and,  as  he  sank  slowly 
out  of  sight  in  the  water,  Coulte  pulled  his  prisoner 
into  the  boat,  while  Pierre  seized  the  helm  and 
pulled  away  for  the  opposite  side  of  the  bayou. 

"  Where  are  you,  Perk  ?"  shouted  Walter,  running 
up  and  down  the  log,  and  looking  in  vain  for  his 
friend.     "  Sing  out." 

"What's  that?"  exclaimed  Wilson,  pointing  to 
a  dark  object  which  just  at  that  moment  arose  from 
under  the  log,  and  floated  slowly  down  the  stream. 

"  It's  a  head  !"  cried  Bab,  with  blanched  cheeks. 

"  And  Perk's  head,  too  !"  gasped  Eugene.  "  I 
would  know  that  long  black  hair  of  his  anywhere." 

Fortunately,  Walter  was  not  in  the  least  excited 
or  dismayed ;  if  he  had  been.  Perk  might  have 
drifted  on  down  the  stream,  and  sunk  for  good  be- 
fore any  effort  was  made  to  assist  him.     While  tho 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  263 

others  stood  with  their  necks  outstretched,  their 
mouths  wide  open,  and  their  eyes  almost  starting 
from  their  sockets,  staring  hard  at  the  object  in  the 
water,  and  wondering  if  it  was  really  a  human 
head,  or  only  a  piece  of  driftwood,  Walter  had  hur- 
riedly divested  himself  of  both  his  coats,  kicked  off 
his  boots,  and  taken  a  header  from  the  log.  The 
object  was  still  bobbing  about  in  the  waves,  and 
floating  slowly  down  the  stream,  and  a  few  swift 
strokes  brought  Waiter  close  up  to  it.  It  was  Perk's 
head,  sure  enough.  The  brave  young  fellow  was 
struggling  feebly,  but  with  a  very  poor  prospect  of 
extricating  himself  from  his  dangerous  situation, 
for  the  blow  that  Pierre  dealt  him  had  taken  away 
all  his  strength,  and  his  heavy  clothing,  which  hung 
upon  him  like  so  many  pounds  of  iron,  weighed  him 
down  in  the  water  until  nothing  but  the  top  of  his 
head  could  be  seen  above  the  surface. 

Walter  was  quick  in  his  movements,  knowing 
that  there  was  not  an  instant  to  be  lost,  but  cau- 
tious also.  Having  learned  by  experience  that  it 
is  a  dangerous  piece  of  business  to  trust  one's  self 
within  reach  of  a  drowning  person,  he  swam  up  be- 
hind his  friend,  and,  watching  his  opportunity, 
seized  him  by  the  back  of  the  neck,- lifted  his  head 


264  THE  sportsman's  club 

above  the  water,  and  held  him  off  at  arm's  length, 
Perk  kicked  and  thrashed  about  wonderfully,  beat- 
ing the  water  into  foam,  making  blind  clutches  at 
the  empty  air,  and  trying  hard  to  turn  about,  so 
that  he  could  take  hold  of  Walter ;  but  the  latter 
held  his  arm  as  stiff  as  an  iron  bar,  and  having  se- 
cured a  firm  hold  of  Perk's  long  hair,  he  compelled 
the  latter  to  keep  his  back  toward  him,  and  held 
him  in  that  position  while  he  carried  him  toward 
the  shore. 

In  the' mean  time  the  old  Frenchman  and  his  son 
were  not  idle.  Taking  advantage  of  the  confusion 
that  prevailed  among  the  Club,  they  filled  away  for 
the  shore,  took  down  the  sail,  dragged  the  boat 
around  the  obstruction,  launched  it  again  on  the 
other  side,  and  resumed  their  voyage  toward  the 
Gulf — Pierre  expressing  great  astonishment  at  the 
whole  transaction,  and  swearing  lustily  at  the  delay 
that  had  been  occasioned,  and  at  the  wind  which 
continued  to  increase  in  fury  as  night  came  on  ; 
Coulte  wondering  at  the  recklessness  Perk  had  dis- 
played in  attacking. them  single-handed,  and  feeling 
his  head,  which  still  ached  from  the  effects  of  the 
strong  pulls  the  boy  had  given  at  his  hair;  and  Chase, 
encouraging  himself  one  moment  with  the  hope  of 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  265 

a  speedy  rescue,  and  the  next  holding  his  breath  in 
dismay,  when  he  thought  of  the  dangers  yet  to  be 
fncountered. 

Poor  Chase  was  in  a  miserable  condition.  Ilia 
hands  and  feet  were  still  bound,  his  clothes  were 
dripping  with  water  that  was  almost  cold  enough  to 
freeze,  and  he  was  exposed  to  the  full  force  of  the 
wind,  every  gust  of  which  seemed  to  cut  him  to 
the  bone.  But,  after  all,  he  did  not  mind  this  so 
much  as  he  did  the  voyage  into  the  Gulf,  which, 
unless  something  happened  to  prevent  it,  would  be 
commenced  in  less  than  ten  minutes.  Suppose  the 
boat  should  go  down,  what  chance  had  he  for  his 
life  ?  He  tried  to  induce  his  captors  to  release  him, 
assuring  them  that  there  was  no  possible  chance  for 
him  to  escape  now  that  they  were  so  far  from  the 
shore ;  but  not  only  did  they  refuse  to  grant  his 
request,  but  they  would  not  even  permit  him  to  see 
what  was  going  on  around  him.  As  soon  as  the 
pirogue  was  once  more  fairly  under  way,  Coulte 
forced  him  to  lie  down  on  the  bottom  of  the  boat, 
and  threw  a  blanket  over  his  head.  This,  in  some 
measure,  protected  him  from  the  wind  and  the 
spray,  but  he  would  much  rather  have  been  ex- 
posed  to  the  full  fury  of  the  gale,  if  he  had  Dnly 


266  THE  sportsman's  jlub 

been  allowed  the  free  use  of  his  eyes.  To  be  blind- 
folded, so  that  he  could  not  see  when  danger  ap- 
proached, was  positive  torture  to  him. 

The  journey  to  the  island  was  by  this  time  fairly 
begun,  and  it  continued  four  long  hours.  The 
wind  blew  even  harder  on  the  Gulf  than  Chase  had 
imagined,  the  waves  rolled  higher,  and  the  voyage 
was  quite  as  perilous  as  he  had  expected  it  would 
be.  Nothing  but  the  greatest  skill  and  the  most 
watchful  care  on  Pierre's  part,  kept  the  pirogue 
right-side  up.  He  had  his  hands  full  in  minding 
the  helm,  and  Coulte  had  as  much  as  he  could  do 
to  bail  out  the  water  as  fast  as  it  came  in.  It 
began  to  gain  at  last,  and  Chase  was  glad  of  it,  for 
it  was  the  means  of  securing  his  release. 

"  Whew !  I  don't  can  shtand  dis  no  longer," 
panted  the  old  Frenchman,  after  he  had  used  his 
bucket  until  every  bone  in  his  old  body  ached  with 
fatigue.  "  Meester  Shase  must  help,  or  we  goes  to 
ze  bottom." 

"  Untie  him  then,"  growled  his  son.  "  I  guess 
there's  no  danger  now  that  he  will  jump  overboard 
and  swim  ashore." 

The  pirogue  was  rolling  and  pitching  in  the  most 
alarming  manner,  and  Coulte,  not  having  his  sea 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  267 

legs  on,  found  it  a  matter  of  some  iifficultj  to  work 
his  way  back  to  the  stern  where  Chase  was  lying. 
During  the  time  that  he  was  employed  in  freeing 
the  prisoner's  hands  and  feet,  short  as  it  was,  the 
water  gained  rapidly ;  and  when  Chase  sprang  up 
and  seized  the  bucket,  it  was  almost  knee  deep  in 
the  bottom  of  the  pirogue. 

As  soon  as  Chase  found  himself  at  liberty  his 
courage  all  returned.  Having  been  brought  up  on 
board  a  yacht,  like  all  the  rest  of  the  Bellville  boys, 
he  was  not  very  much  afraid  of  a  gale,  although 
he  could  not  help  being  appalled  at  the  scene  that 
was  now  presented  to  his  gaze.  The  sky  was  clear- 
ing up  a  little  to  windward,  and  there  was  light 
enough  for  him  to  see  that  the  water  was  in  a 
frightful  commotion.  One  moment  the  pirogue 
would  be  riding  on  the  top  of  a  wave,  which  to  a 
landsman  would  have  looked  as  high  as  a  moun- 
tain ;  the  next  she  would  sink  down  into  an  abyss 
that  appeared  to  be  almost  bottomless,  and  the 
huge  billows  would  come  rolling  after  her,  seemingly 
on  the  point  of  engulfing  her  every  instant.  Chase 
looked  at  the  waves  and  then  at  his  captors  to  see 
what  they  thought  about  it,  and  he  was  satisfied 
that  if  they  could  have  put  the  boat  about  without 


268  THE  sportsman's  club 

clanger  of  swamping  her,  and  gone  back  to  the 
shore,  they  would  have  done  it  ghidlj.  She  Avaa 
now  running  before  the  wind,  and  consequently 
was  comparatively  safe;  but  an  attempt  on  tho 
part  of  her  crew  to  bring  her  about  and  to  beat 
back  to  the  main  land,  would  have  resulted  in  her 
destruction.  She  must  go  on,  for  she  could  not 
turn  back.  Pierre  and  Coulte  both  knew  that  as 
well  as  Chase  did.  The  old  Frenchman  w^as  liter- 
ally shaking  with  terror,  while  Pierre  was  as  white 
as  a  sheet. 

When  Chase  had  noted  these  things,  he  went  to 
work  with  his  bucket,  and  for  two  hours  scarcely 
paused  to  take  breath.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
Pierre  began  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  in  front  of 
him,  knowing  that  if  he  had  not  missed  his  course 
he  ought  to  be  somewhere  near  the  island.  Pres- 
ently Chase  discovered  it  looming  up  through  the 
darkness,  looking  a  thousand-fold  more  gloomy  and 
uninviting  than  it  had  ever  before  appeared  in  his 
eyes,  and  then  he  too  began  to  be  uneasy,  lest  the 
pirogue  should  be  dashed  upon  the  beach  and  broken 
in  pieces  by  the  surf.  But  the  good  fortune  that 
had  attended  them  during  the  voyage  had  not  yet 
deserted  them,  and  in  spite  of  the  wind  and  the 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  269 

waves  Pierre  succeeded  in  piloting  tlie  boat  between 
two  high  points,  and  running  her  ashore  in  a  little 
cove  where  she  was  effectually  protected  from  the 
fury  of  the  gale. 


270  THE  sportsman's  club 


CHAPTER  XIV, 

CHASE   TURNS    THE    TABLES. 

\\7"IIEN  Chase,  who  was  the  first  to  spring 
ashore,  had  drawn  the  bow  of  the  pirogue 
out  of  the  water,  he  took  a  turn  up  and  down  the 
beach  and  looked  about  him.  This  was  not  the 
first  time  he  had  visited  the  island.  He  had  often 
been  there  in  company  with  Wilson  and  Bayard 
Bell  and  his  cousins,  and  he  knew  every  tree  and 
stump  on  it.  It  was  a  favorite  shooting  and  fishing 
ground  of  his,  and  he  thought  it  a  fine  place  to 
camp  out  for  a  night  or  two ;  but  he  had  never 
wanted  to  live  there.  He  was  thinking  busily  while 
he  was  walking  up  and  down  the  beach,  and 
revolving  something  in  his  mind  that  made  his 
heart  beat  a  trifle  faster  than  usual.  He  did  not 
want  to  remain  there  alone,  and  he  was  determined 
that  he  would  not.  He  would  return  to  the  village 
if  he  could  that  very  night ;  but  if  he  was  obliged 
to  stay,  Coulte  and  Pierre  should  stay  with  him. 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  271 

The  cove  in  which  the  pirogue  landed,  and  which 
was  large  enough  to  receive  and  shelter  a  vessel  of 
a  hundred  tons  burden,  was  surrounded  on  three 
sides  by  a  high  bluff  thickly  covered  with  bushes 
from  base  to  summit.  In  these  bluffs  were  two  or 
three  caves  in  w'hich  cooking-utensils,  old-fashioned 
weapons,  and  rusty  pieces  of  money  had  been  found, 
giving  rise  to  the  supposition  that  the  island  had 
at  one  time  been  the  harboring-place  of  the  noted 
Lafitte.  The  story-tellers  of  the  village  declared 
that  some  thrilling  scenes  had  been  enacted  there. 
Whether  or  not  this  was  true  we  cannot  tell;  but 
this  we  do  know :  that  before  Chase  set  his  foot  on 
the  mainland  again,  he  saw  as  much  excitement  and 
adventure  there  as  he  wanted,  and  even  more  than 
enough  to  satisfy  him. 

"Well,"  exclaimed  Pierre,  who  seemed  to  be 
greatly  relieved  to  find  himself  on  solid  ground 
once  more,  "  we  did  it,  didn't  we  ?  We're  here  at 
last." 

"I'd  rather  be  somewhere  else,"  replied  Chase. 
"  Do  you  know,  Pierre,  that  I  shall  be  hard  up  for 
bread  while  I  stay  here  ?  The  corn-meal  in  that 
bag  is  thoroughly  soaked  with  salt  water." 

"The    bacon    is    all    right,"    returned    Pierre. 


272  TUB  sportsman's  club 

*'  When  you  got  tired  of  living  on  that  you  can 
catch  a  wild  duck." 

*'  By  putting  salt  on  its  tail,  I  suppose,"  inter- 
rupted Chase.  "  I  don't  see  how  else  I  am  to 
catch  it." 

"  Take  this  lantern  and  axe  and  look  around  and 
find  something  to  start  a  fire  with,"  continued 
Pierre.  "  We'll  have  to  stay  here  with  you  until  the 
wind  goes  down,  because  we  can't  beat  up  against 
it  in  the  pirogue.  Even  if  we  could,  I  wouldn't 
try  it.  I've  seen  enough  of  the  Gulf  for  one 
night." ' 

"I  believe  you,"  said  Chase  to  himself.  "  If  I 
can  make  things  work  to  my  satisfaction  you'll 
never  sail  that  pirogue  back  to  the  village.  As 
soon  as  you  are  asleep  I'll  run  her  around  under 
the  lee  of  the  island,  and  stay  there  until  the  wind 
goes  down  and  the  sea  falls,  and  then  I'll  fill  away 
for  home.  If  I  can't  do  that,  I'll  take  possession 
of  the  eatables,  knock  a  hole  in  the  pirogue,  and 
get  out  of  your  way  by  intrenching  myself  in  the 
'  Kitchen.'  By  doing  that  I  can  make  prisoners 
of  you  and  your  father  as  effectually  as  though  you 
were  bound  hand  and  foot." 

Chase  was   so  highly  elated  over  his  plans  for 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  273 

turning  the  tables  upon  his  captors,  and  so  sure 
that  one  or  the  other  of  them  would  operate  suc- 
cessfully, that  he  allowed  a  smile  to  break  over  his 
face.  Pierre  saw  it,  and  interpreted  it  rightly.  It 
put  an  idea  into  his  head,  and  he  determined  to 
watch  Chase  as  closely  now  as  he  had  done  before. 

"I  want  to  ask  you  a  question,"  said  Pierre, 
while  Chase  was  trying  to  light  the  lantern  with 
some  damp  matches  Coulte  had  given  him.  "  Did 
those  fellows  we  had  the  fight  with  at  the  log  know 
that  we  were  going  to  take  you  to  this  island  ?" 

"  Of  course  they  did ;  Wilson  told  them.  He 
was  there  with  them,  because  I  heard  his  voice. 
They'll  come  over  here  with  an  officer  or  two  as 
soon  as  the  wind  dies  away  a  little,  and  they  will 
be  looking  for  you  as  well  as  for  me.  What  good* 
will  it  do  you  now  that  you  have  brought  me  here  ? 
It  seems  to  me  that  by  doing  it  you  have  made  your 
situation  worse  instead  of  better.  You  are  pris- 
oners here  the  same  as  I  am." 

Chase  knew  by  the  expression  which  settled  on 
his  face  that  he  had  started  a  train  of  serious  reflec- 
tions in  Pierre's  mind.    Leaving  him  to  follow  them 
out  at  his  leisure  he  picked  up  the  1  intern,  shoul- 
18 


274  THE  sportsman's  club 

dcred  the  axe,  and  after  looking  about  among  the 
bushes  for  a  few  minutes,  found  a  dry  log  from 
which  he  cut  an  armful  of  chips  with  which  to  start 
the  fire.  He  worked  industriously,  and  by  the 
time  that  the  old  Frenchman  and  his  son  had  un- 
loaded the  pirogue  and  hauled  her  out  upon  the 
beach,  he  had  a  roaring  fire  going,  and  a  comfortable 
camp  made  behind  a  projecting  point  of  one  of  the 
bluffs.  He  then  returned  to  the  canoe  to  bring  up 
the  blankets  belonging  to  the  outfit  with  which 
Pierre  had  provided  him  ;  and  when  he  had  spread 
them  and  his  coats  out  in  front  of  the  fire  to  dry, 
he  went  to  work  to  cook  his  supper  and  prepare  his 
bed.  Neither  of  these  duties  occupied  a  great  deal 
of  time.  All  he  had  in  the  way  of  eatables  was 
the  bacon,  a  few  slices  of  which  he  cut  off  and  laid 
upon  the  coals ;  and  for  a  bed  he  scraped  together 
a  few  armfuls  of  leaves,  and  deposited  them  at  the 
roots  of  a  wide-spreading  beech  which  extended  its 
limbs  protectingly  over  the  camping-ground.  When 
Pierre  and  his  father  came  up  he  was  sitting  before 
the  fire  in  his  shirt  sleeves,  turning  his  bacon  with 
a  sharp  stick. 

"  What  made  you  locate  the  camp  so  fur  away 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  275 

from  the  boat  ?"  asked  the  former,  looking  suspi- 
ciously at  his  prisoner. 

*'  Why,  you  don't  want  to  watch  her  all  night, 
do  you  ?  I  selected  this  point  because  it  is  sheltered 
from  the  wind.  Don't  you  think  it  a  good  idea? 
If  you  want  any  supper  help  yourselves;  only 
touch  that  bacon  lightly,  for  it  is  all  I  shall  have  to 
eat  until  I  see  home  again." 

"What's  got  into  you  all  of  a  sudden?"  asked 
Pierre,  who  could  not  understand  why  his  prisoner, 
who  had  heretofore  been  so  gloomy  and  disheart- 
ened, should  suddenly  appear  to  be  much  at  his 
ease.     "  What  trick  are  you  up  to  ?" 

''I  don't  know  that  I  am  particularly  jolly — I 
feel  much  better  than  I  did  a,  few  hours  ago,"  replied 
Chase.  "  I  am  dry  and  warm  now  ;  and  another 
thing,  I  know  that  I  shall  not  be  obliged  to  stay 
here  as  long  as  I  at  first  feared.  I'll  be  taken  off 
before  to-morrow  night,  and  then  you  had  better 
look  out  for  me.     I'll  show  you — " 

Chase  was  going  on  to  say  that  he  would  show 
Pierre  and  his  father,  and  Bayard  Bell  and  every 
one  else  who  had  had  a  hand  in  his  capture,  that 
there  was  a  law  in  the  land,  and  that  they  could 
not  waylay  peaceable  young  fellows  and  shut  them 


276  THE  sportsman's  club 

up  in  smuggling  vessels  and  starve  them  and  carry 
them  oflf  to  desert  islands  with  impunity ;  but 
Pierre  glared  at  him  so  savagely  that  he  thought  it 
best  to  hold  his  peace. 

Coulte  and  his  son  were  not  slow  to  follow  the 
example  set  them  by  their  captive.  If  one  might 
judge  by  the  numerous  slices  of  bacon  they  cut  off 
and  laid  upon  the  coals,  the  fright  they  had  sus- 
tained during  the  voyage  to  the  island  had  not 
injured  their  appetites  in  the  least.  They  helped 
themselves  most  bountifully,  and  while  their  supper 
was  cooking  pulled  off  their  coats,  and  spread  the 
blankets  and  other  articles  that  composed  the  cargo 
of  the  pirogue,  in  front  of  the  fire  to  dry. 

The  meal  was  not  as  good  as  some  Chase  had 
eaten  on  that  same  island,  but  it  served  to  satisfy 
the  cravings  of  his  hunger,  and  when  the  last  piece 
of  bacon  had  disappeared  he  spread  one  of  his  coats 
upon  his  bed  of  leaves,  drew  the  blanket  over  him, 
thrust  his  feet  out  toward  the  fire  and  closed  his 
eyes — but  not  to  sleep.  Tired,  and  almost  ex- 
hausted, as  he  was,  that  was  a  thing  that  did  not 
enter  his  head.  He  had  better  business  on  hand, 
and  that  was  to  watch  Coulte  and  Pierre.  They 
ate  their  bacon  very  deliberately,  smoked  two  or 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  27^ 

three  pipes  of  tobacco,  and  then  arose  and  walked 
out  on  the  beach.  This  movement  was  enough  to 
arouse  the  suspicions  of  the  prisoner,  who,  as  soon 
as  they  were  out  of  sight  and  hearing,  sprang  to 
his  feet  and  looked  around  the  point  of  the  bluff  to 
see  what  they  were  going  to  do. 

"  There's  one  of  my  plans  knocked  into  a  cocked 
hat,"  said  Chase,  as  he  watched  the  proceedings  of 
the  two  men ;  "  but  I  have  another  in  reserve,  and 
I  know  it  will  work.  I  am  afraid  I  have  done 
something  to  excite  their  suspicions." 
'-'  He  certainly  had.  The  smile  that  Pierre  had 
seen  on  his  face  had  made  him  alert  and  watchful, 
and  he  and  his  father  thought  it  best  to  put  it  out 
of  Chase's  power  to  leave  the  island  without  their 
knowledge.  They  went  straight  to  the  pirogue, 
and  after  turning  it  bottom  upward,  moved  it  close 
to  a  tree  at  the  base  of  the  bluff,  and  made  it  fast 
with  a  chain  and  padlock.  Not  satisfied  with  this, 
they  carried  the  sail  and  oars  into  the  bushes  and 
concealed  them  there;  and  when  they  came  out 
they  shouldered  their  guns  and  returned  to  the 
camp.  They  looked  at  their  prisoner  as  they 
walked  past  him,  but  he  lay  with  a  blanket  over 
his  head,  apparently  fast  asleep. 


278  THE  sportsman's  club 

Coulte  and  Pierre  were  ready  to  go  to  bed  now, 
and  the  captive  was  quite  willing  that  they  should 
do  so.  They  began  snoring  lustily  almost  as  soon 
as  they  touched  their  blankets,  but  Chase,  being 
cautious  and  crafty,  and  unwilling  to  endanger  the 
success  of  his  scheme  by  being  too  hasty,  for  a  long 
time  made  no  movement.  Being  convinced  at  last 
that  they  were  really  asleep,  and  not  trying  to  de- 
ceive him,  he  threw  the  blanket  off  his  head  and 
slowly  arose  to  his  feet.  His  first  move  was  to  pull 
on  his  overcoat  and  boots ;  his  next  to  secure  pos- 
session of  the  meat  and  axe ;  and  his  third  to  light 
the  lantern  with  a  brand  from  the  fire.  He  looked 
wishfully  at  the  guns  which  Pierre  and  his  father 
had  taken  care  to  put  under  their  blankets  before 
lying  down,  but  he  could  not  secure  them  without 
arousing  one  or  the  other  of  the  men.  However,  it 
was  some  consolation  to  know  that  the  weapons  would 
be  of  very  little  use  to  their  owners.  They  had  not 
more  than  two  or  three  charges  of  dry  powder  be- 
tween them,  for  the  large  flask  that  Pierre  carried 
had  been  thoroughly  soaked  during  the  voyage  to 
the  island. 

Having:  lighted  his  lantern  Chase  rolled  up  his 
blankets  and  put  them  under  his  arm,  picked  up 


IN    THE    SAL>DLE.  279 

the  meat,  shouldered  the  axe,  and,  thus  equipped, 
walked  rapidly  around  the  bluff  toward  the  place 
where  the  pirogue  lay.  He  spent  some  time  in 
searching  among  the  bushes  for  the  sail,  and  having 
found  it  at  last  he  pulled  it  out  of  its  hiding-place, 
and  bent  his  steps  toward  the  interior  of  the  island. 
After  walking  about  a  hundred  yards  he  entered  a 
little  gulley,  which  seemed  to  run  up  the  side  of  the 
bluff,  and  a  short  distance  further  on  his  progress 
was  stopped  by  a  perpendicular  cliff,  which  arose 
to  the  height  of  forty  or  fifty  feet.  By  the  aid  of 
his  lantern  he  closely  surveyed  the  face  of  this  cliff, 
and  having  at  last  discovered  some  object  of  which 
he  appeared  to  be  in  search,  he  rested  the  mast, 
which  was  rolled  up  in  the  canvas,  against  a  pro- 
jecting point  of  the  cliff;  and  after  making  sure 
that  the  lower  end  was  placed  firmly  on  the  ground 
so  that  it  would  not  slip,  he  ran  his  arm  through  the 
ring  in  the  lantern  and  began  to  climb  up  the  sail. 
When  he  arrived  at  the  top  he  pushed  aside  the 
bushes,  disclosing  to  view  a  dark  opening,  which 
appeared  to  run  back  into  the  cliff.  Thrusting  his 
lantern  into  it  he  surveyed  it  suspiciously  for  a  mo- 
ment, as  if  half  afraid  to  enter,  and  then  clambered 
up  ajid  crept   into  the  opening  on  'his  hands  and 


280  THE  sportsman's  club 

knees.  After  working  his  way  along  a  dark  and 
narrow  passage  he  found  himself  in  a  cave  about 
twenty  feet  long  and  half  as  wide,  which  was  known 
among  the  village  boys  as  "  The  Kitchen" — so 
called  from  the  fact  that  it  was  here  that  the 
cooking  utensils  had  been  found — and  this  Chase 
intended  should  be  his  hiding-place  and  his  fortress 
as  long  as  he  remained  on  the  island.  It  promised  to 
answer  his  purpose  admirably.  It  was  so  effectually 
concealed  that  a  dozen  men  might  have  searched 
the  island  for  a  month  without  discovering  it,  and 
it  could  be  easily  defended  in  case  of  an  attack. 
The  bluff  in  which  it  was  located  was  perpendicular 
on  all  sides,  and  the  only  way  one  could  get  into  it 
was  by  making  use  of  a  ladder  or  pole,  as  Chase  had 
done. 

Chase  raised  his  lantern  above  his  head,  and  sur- 
veyed the  cave  with  a  smile  of  satisfaction.  In 
one  corner  were  the  remains  of  a  fire  which  he  and 
his  companions  had  built  the  last  time  they  camped 
there,  and  over  it  was  a  narrow  crevice  extending 
to  the  tops  of  the  bluff,  and  answering  all  the  pur- 
poses of  a  window  and  chimney.  In  the  opposite 
corner  was  a  supply  of  wood  sufficient  to  cook  his 
meals  for  three  or  four  days,  and  in  another  was  a 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  2^1 

pile  of  leaves  that  had  more  than  once  served  him  for 
a  bed.  His  camp  was  all  ready  for  occupation,  and 
he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  bring  up  the  outfit  he 
had  left  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff.  This  required  two 
journeys  up  and  down  the  sail.  He  brought  the 
meat  first,  the  blankets  next,  and  after  stowing  them 
away  in  the  cave  was  ready  to  carry  out  the  second 
and  most  dangerous  part  of  his  programme.  He 
tied  the  lantern  to  the  bushes  at  the  mouth  of  the 
cave  so  that  its  rays  would  shine  down  into  the 
gulley  below,  divested  himself  of  his  coat,  and 
eliding  down  the  sail  to  the  ground,  shouldered  his 
axe  and  started  back  for  the  beach.  He  left  the 
axe  by  the  pirogue,  and  approached  the  camp  on 
tip-toe  to  look  at  Coulte  and  his  son.  They  were 
still  sleeping  soundly,  and  Chase,  lingering  long 
enough  to  shake  his  clenched  hand  at  each  of  them, 
and  to  mutter  somethins;  about  their  beino;:  aston- 
ished  when  they  awoke  in  the  morning,  hurried  back 
to  the  pirogue  and  caught  up  his  axe.  "  Turn 
about  is  fair  play,  Pierre,"  said  he,  as  he  swung 
the  implement  aloft.  "You  have  had  things  all 
your  own  way  this  far,  and  now  I'll  manage  affixirs 
for  awhile.     I'll  teach  you  to  think  twice  before  you 


282  THE  sportsman's  club 

tie  a  hoj  hand  and  foot  again  and  take  him  to  sea 
in  a  dugout." 

Whack !  came  the  axe  upon  the  pirogue,  the 
force  with  which  it  was  driven  sinking  it  almost 
to  the  handle  in  the  soft  wood,  and  opening  a  wide 
seam  along  the  whole  length  of  the  little  vessel. 
Another  blow  and  another  followed ;  but  just  as  he 
raised  his  axe  for  tlie  fourth  time  he  heard  an  ex- 
clamation of  wonder,  and  looked  up  to  see  Pierre 
and  Coulte  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  bluiF. 

"Ah!  whew!"  exclaimed  the  latter,  compre- 
hending the  state  of  affairs  at  once. 

"  Ah  !  oui !"  replied  Chase,  exactly  imitating  the 
old  Frenchman's  way  of  talking ;  "  somedings  ia 
wrong  again,  and  dis  times  it  is  somedings  pooty 
bad.     Whew !" 

*'  What  are  you  about  there  ?"  demanded  Pierre. 

"  0,  nothing,"  answered  Chase,  bringing  his  axe 
down  with  greater  force  than  before ;  "  only  I  am 
tired  of  seeing  this  old  boat  lying  around.  You 
don't  want  to  use  her  any  more,  do  you  ?  You'll 
go  back  to  the  village  in  style,  you  know.  The 
people  there  think  so  much  of  you  that  they'll  send 
a  yacht  after  you." 

Pierre  uttered  something  that  sounded  very  much 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  283 

like  an  oath,  and  came  down  the  beach  with  all  the 
speed  he  could  command ;  but  Chase,  as  active  as  a 
cat,  darted  into  the  woods  and  was  half  way  up  the 
gulley  before  the  clumsy  smuggler  had  taken  a  dozen 
steps.  It  was  dark  in  the  bushes,  and  the  noise  he 
made  in  running  through  them  guided  his  enemies 
in  the  pursuit ;  but  he  succeeded  in  climbing  up 
the  sail,  encumbered  as  he  was  with  the  axe,  and 
pulled  it  up  after  him.  He  did  not  have  time  to 
remove  the  lantern  before  Coulte  and  Pierre  came 
up.  The  former,  as  usual,  expressed  his  astonish- 
ment and  rage  by  loud  whistles,  while  Pierre  looked 
about  for  some  means  of  ascending  the  bluff.  Know- 
ing himself  to  be  in  a  safe  position,  Chase  was  dis- 
posed to  be  facetious. 

"I  say,  Pierre,"  he  exclaimed;  "what  will  you 
give  me  if  I  will  pass  the  sail  down  to  you  ?  That's 
the  only  way  you  can  come  up  here,  seeing  that  you 
have  no  axe  to  cut  a  pole  with." 

"  I'll  give  you  something  you  won't  like  when  I 
go'  my  hands  on  you,"  hissed  Pierre,  between  his 
clenched  teeth.     "  Come  down  from  there." 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  come  now,  or  will  you  wait 
till  I  do  come?  You  won't  go  back  to  the  village 
to-morrow  and  leave  me  here  all  alcTne,  will  you  ? 


284  THE  sportsman's  club 

You'll  stay,  like  a  good  fellow,  till  the  yacht  coraes, 
won't  you  ?  If  you  want  anything  to  eat  in  the 
mean  time,  you  can  catch  a  wild  duck,  you  know." 

Pierre  and  his  father  were  too  angry  to  reply. 
They  conversed  a  while  in  low  tones,  and  then 
started  down  the  gulley  toward  the  beach.  When 
they  had  disappeared,  Chase  blew  out  his  lantern, 
and  sitting  down  in  the  mouth  of  the  cave  with  his 
axe  in  his  hand,  waited  to  see  what  they  were  going 
to  do. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  on  the 
island,  others,  in  which  Chase  would  have  been 
deeply  interested  could  he  have  been  made  ac- 
quainted with  them,  were  taking  place  on  the  main 
shore. 

We  left  the  Sportsman's  Club  in  great  confusion. 
They  saw  the  pirogue  when  she  filled  away  for  the 
mouth  of  the  bayou,  but  they  were  too  deeply 
interested  in  Perk's  welfare  to  pay  any  attention  to 
her.  The  latter  was  in  good  hands,  and  before  the 
pirogue  was  fairly  out  of  sight  he  was  safely  landed 
en  the  bank,  where  he  lay  gasping  for  breath  and 
almost  benumbed  with  the  cold. 

"  Start  a  fire,  somebody,"  exclaimed  Walter,  as 
Boon  as  he  had  dragged  his  friend  out  of  the  water ; 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  285 


i> 


"  and  the  rest  of  you  come  here  and  help  me  rub 
some  life  into  this  fellow.  Pierre  shall  suffer  for 
this." 

When  Walter  uttered  these  words  he  uttered  the 
sentiments  of  the  entire  party.  Perk  was  a  favo- 
rite with  them  all — even  Wilson  liked  him  now, 
after  his  daring  attempt  to  rescue  Chase — and  they 
did  not  intend  to  see  him  abused.  They  worked 
for  him  like  troopers — Wilson  and  Eugene  kindling 
a  fire,  and  the  others  stripping  oif  his  clothes  and 
rubbing  him  with  all  their  might.  Fortunately 
there  was  not  much  the  matter  with  him.  The 
blow  he  had  received  was  not  serious,  and  after  he 
had  been  relieved  of  his  wet  clothing  and  stretched 
out  on  a  pile  of  overcoats  before  a  roaring  fire,  he 
began  to  recover  himself.  The  boys  considered  it 
a  good  sign  w^hen  he  cried  out  that  he  was  all  right, 
but  kept  on  chafing  him  most  unmercifully  until 
they  had  got  him  on  his  feet. 

The  next  thing  was  to  dress  him  warmly  to  pre- 
vent him  from  taking  cold,  and  that  was  quickly 
done;  each  boy,  with  the  exception  of  Walter,  who 
was  as  wet  as  a  drowned  rat,  readily  surrendering 
up  to  him  some  portion  of  his  own  dry  clothing. 
In  half  an  hour  Perk  was  himself  again  ;  and  after 


286  THE  sportsman's  club 

giving  his  companions  a  vivid  description  of  his 
fight  with  Pierre  and  Coulte,  he  inquired  what  was 
to  be  done  now?  ^'It  isn't  too  late  yet  to  try  the 
plan  I  proposed,"  said  he.  ^'  Let's  go  home  and 
get  the  Banner  and  Uncle  Dick,  and  pursue  them 
at  once.  We  know  that  they  are  going  to  Lost 
Island,  so  of  course  it  will  be  no  trouble  to  find 
them." 

*'  I'm  in  for  that,"  shouted  Eugene,  who  was 
always  delighted  with  the  idea  of  a  cruise,  no  mat- 
ter how  bad  the  weather  was.  "  Let's  take  a  vote 
on  it." 

"  We  can  stop  at  the  village  and  tell  Mr.  Craven 
that  Fred  is  missing,"  said  Bab. 

"  And  I  will  have  something  to  say  to  my  father 
and  Mr.  Chase,"  chimed  in  Wilson.  "  Of  course 
some  of  them  will  accompany  us,  and,  with  their 
assistance,  we  can  capture  Coulte  and  Pierre,  if  we 
find  them." 

"We'll  do  that  anyhow,"  replied  Eugene;  "es- 
pecially if  Uncle  Dick  goes  with  us.  He  can  man- 
age them  both.  It's  just  gay,  outside,  to-night. 
The  white-caps  are  running,  and  we'll  have  a  chance 
to  see  how  the  Banner  will  behave  in  a  gale.    I  wish 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  287 

Featherweight  was  here.     He  does  so  enjoy  a  sail 
■when  the  water  is  rough." 

It  was  wonderful  how  the  members  of  the  Club 
missed  the  Secretary  at  every  turn.  They  were 
very  lonesome  without  him,  and  now  that  there  was 
a  prospect  of  their  going  on  a  cruise,  they  wanted 
him  more  than  ever.  He  was  the  life  of  the  Club 
at  all  times,  and  more  particularly  while  they  were 
on  shipboard.  He  was  fond  of  the  water,  and  took 
to  a  boat  as  naturally  as  though  he  had  been  born 
on  board  of  one.  With  the  exception  of  Walter, 
who  had  no  superior  among  boys  of  his  age  any- 
where, he  was  the  best  sailor  at  the  Academy,  and 
so  skilful  was  he  that  his  friends  used  to  say  that 
he  could  make  his  yacht  walk  squarely  into  the 
wind's  eye.  He  was  a  wonderful  fellow  to  carry 
sail,  and  would  keep  every  inch  of  his  canvas  spread 
long  after  vessels  larger  than  his  own  had  begun  to 
haul  it  down.  This  made  the  students  afraid  of 
him ;  and  when  the  yacht-club  was  getting  ready 
to  go  on  its  annual  cruise,  Featherweight  some- 
times found  it  hard  work  to  raise  a  crew  for  his 
vessel.  But,  after  all,  he  was  fortunate,  and  al- 
ways brought  his  yacht  back  to  the  village  in  just 
as  good  trim  as  she  was  when  she  went  out.     Tho 


288  THE  sportsman's  club 

Club,  while  regretting  his  absence,  and  telling  one 
another  that  he  was  losing  a  great  deal  in  not  being 
there  to  accompany  them  on  their  cruise,  little 
imagined  that  he  was  destined  to  feel  as  much  of 
the  Gulf-breeze  that  night  as  any  of  them. 

*'  I  can  sec  that  you  are  all  in  favor  of  Perk's 
plan,"  said  Walter ;  *'  so  there's  no  need  of  taking 
a  vote  on  it.  Let's  put  out  the  fire  and  be  off.  No 
lagging  behind,  now." 

The  Club  were  fifteen  miles  from  Mr.  Gaylord's 
house.  For  half  the  distance  their  course  lay 
along  a  bridle-path  which  ran  through  the  thickest 
part  of  the  woods,  and  the  deep  shade  cast  by  the 
trees  made  it  so  dark  that  they  could  not  see  their 
hands  before  them.  The  way  was  obstructed  by 
logs  and  thickets  of  briers  and  canes,  and  the 
branches  of  the  trees  hung  over  the  path,  and 
struck  them  violently  in  the  face  as  they  passed. 
It  was  not  a  pleasant  road  to  travel  in  the  day-time, 
and  still  less  so  on  a  night  like  this,  and  with  such 
a  leader  as  Walter  Gaylord,  who  was  quite  as  dash- 
ing and  reckless  a  rider  as  Featherweight  was  a 
sailor.  He  kept  Tom  in  a  full  gallop,  which  he 
never  once  slackened  until  he  bent  from  his  saddle 
to  open  the  gate  that  led  into  the  carriage-way. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  289 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  REVENUE  CUTTER. 

^'IVrOW  fellows,"  said  Walter,  as  they  rode 
along  the  carriage-way,  "  let's  divide  the 
work,  so  that  there  may  be  no  delay.  Eugene,  put 
the  horses  in  the  stable  and  feed  them.  Bab  and 
Wilson,  go  down  and  pull  the  Banner  out  of  the 
bayou,  loosen  the  sails,  and  get  everything  ready 
for  an  immediate  start.  While  you  are  doing  that, 
Perk  and  I  will  go  in  and  get  on  some  dry  clothing, 
and  tell  father  and  Uncle  Dick  what  has  happened. 
When  we  come  down  to  the  boat  we'll  bring  a 
couple  of  baskets  of  provisions  with  us." 

As  soon  as  the  boys  reached  the  house  they 
sprang  from  their  saddles,  and  hurried  off  to  per- 
form the  work  assigned  them.  Ten  minutes  after- 
wards, when  Walter  and  Perk,  none  the  worse  for 
their  cold  bath  in  the  bayou,  joined  the  rest  of  the 
Club  on  board  the  yacht,  they  found  her  all  ready 
for  sea.  The  hatches  had  been  thrown  open,  the 
19 


290  THE  sportsman's  club 

cabin  unlocked,  the  binnacle  lighted,  the  lamps 
hoisted  at  the  catheads,  the  sails  were  loose  and 
flapping  in  the  wind,  and  the  little  vessel  was  held 
to  the  bank  bj  a  bow  and  stern  line,  both  ends  of 
which  were  made  fast  on  deck  so  that  they  could  be 
cast  off  without  going  ashore. 

*'  Fellows,  I  am  afraid  that  you  have  done  all 
this  work  for  nothing,"  exclaimed  Walter,  as  he  and 
Perk  sprang  over  the  rail  and  deposited  their  bas- 
kets of  provisions  on  deck.  "  Uncle  Dick  has  not 
got  back  yet,  and  neither  has  father." 

The  expression  of  disappointment  that  settled  on 
the  faces  of  the  yacht's  crew,  as  well  as  the  excla- 
mations they  uttered,  showed  that  this  was  any- 
thing bnt  a  pleasant  piece  of  news.  Uncle  Dick 
was  just  the  man  for  the  occasion.  He  would  have 
entered  heartily  into  their  scheme — he  was  inter- 
ested in  everything  his  young  friends  did — and  he 
would  have  carried  it  out  successfully,  too. 

"  They  are  still  out  looking  for  Featherweight," 
continued  Walter,  "  and  haven't  been  home  since 
morning.  I  told  mother  where  we  are  going  and 
what  we  intend  to  do,  and  she  says  that  when  they 
return  she  will  send  them  after  us  in  the  Lookout." 

The  Lookout  was  Mr.  Gaylord's  yacht.     When 


IN    TUE   SADDLE.  291 

the  season  closed  she  had  been  left  at  the  village 
for  repairs ;  and  although  the  work  on  her  was  all 
completed,  she  had  not  yet  been  brought  home. 
The  boys  would  have  been  glad  to  make  the  cruise 
with  her  instead  of  the  Banner,  for  she  was  a  much 
swifter  boat ;  but  it  required  a  crew  of  ten  men  to 
handle  her,  and  that  was  a  larger  force  than  they 
could  raise. 

"  Shall  we  wait  for  Uncle  Dick,  or  go  without 
him?"  asked  Walter,  in  conclusion. 

*' Let's  go  now,"  exclaimed  Eugene.  "There's 
no  knowing  what  we  may  lose  by  an  hour's  delay. 
I'd  as  soon  trust  myself  on  the  Gulf  with  you  as 
with  Uncle  Dick." 

The  other  boys  expressed  the  same  unlimited 
confidence  in  their  young  commander,  and  urged  an 
immediate  departure ;  and  Walter,  who,  like  all 
modest  young  fellows,  had  a  poor  opinion  of  his 
abilities,  turned  to  Perk,  whom  he  had  selected  to 
act  as  his  assistant,  and  rather  reluctantly  ordered 
him  to  get  the  yacht  under  way. 

The  members  of  the  Club  were  in  their  element 
now,  and  if  Featherweight  had  only  been  with 
them  they  would  have  been  as  happy  as  boys  could 
well  be.     They  loved  their  horses,  and'  were  quite 


292  THE  sportsman's  club 

at  home  in  the  saddle ;  but  a  staunch,  swift  vessel 
was  what  they  most  delighted  in.  The  Banner 
suited  them  exactly.  She  was  small — not  more 
than  one-fourth  the  size  of  the  smuggling  vessel — 
but  she  had  been  built  under  Walter's  own  super- 
vision, with  an  eye  to  comfort  and  safety  rather 
than  speed,  and  the  boys  knew  that  they  could 
trust  her  anywhere. 

In  the  forward  part  of  the  vessel,  where  the  fore- 
castle would  have  been  located  if  she  had  had  one, 
was  the  galley.  It  was  a  small  apartment,  of 
course,  but  it  was  well  fitted  up,  and  provided  with 
everything  in  the  shape  of  pots,  pans,  and  kettles 
that  any  cook  could  possibly  find  use  for.  A  door 
in  one  side  of  it  opened  directly  into  the  cabin, 
which  occupied  the  whole  of  the  after-part  of  the 
vessel,  no  space  being  taken  up  with  state-rooms. 
It  was  carpeted,  and  furnished  with  a  small  writing 
desk  and  chairs  in  abundance.  Two  lockers,  one 
on  each  side,  extended  the  whole  length  of  it,  and 
in  them  were  stored  away  the  hammocks  in  which 
the  crew  slept,  the  dishes,  knives,  forks  and  other 
things  belonging  to  the  table,  and  there  was  also 
plenty  of  space  for  the  Club's  hunting  and  fishing 
accoutrements.     The  top  and  sides  of  the  lockers 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  293 

were  upholstered,  and  they  were  supplied  with  pil- 
lows so  that  they  could  be  used  as  lounges  or  beds. 
Under   the   hatchway,    which    opened   into    the 
cabin  from  the  deck,  was  suspended  a  long,  wide 
board,  painted  and  varnished  like  the  rest  of  the 
furniture.     This  was  the  table.     When  in  use  it 
was  lowered  into  the  cabin  and  kept  in  position — 
not  by  legs,  like  ordinary  tables,  but  by  polished 
iron  rods  which  came  down  from  the  beams  over- 
head.    If  that  table  could  have  found  a  tongue  it 
would  have  told  some  interesting  stories  of  the  glo- 
rious times  the  Club  and  their  friends  had  had  while 
seated  around  it — of  the  quantities  of  roast  duck, 
venison,  oysters,   catfish,   quails,   and   other    good 
cheer  that  had  been  placed  upon  it  by  old  Sam,  the 
cook,  to  be  swept  off  by  the  hungry  young  yachts- 
men ;  of  the  jokes  that  had  been  passed,  and  the 
funny  things  that  had  been  said  after  the  cloth  was 
removed,  and  oranges,  raisins,  almonds  and  lemon- 
ade brought  on  ;  and  of  the  speeches  that  had  been 
made,  the  stories  that  had  been  told,  and  the  hearty 
applauding  blows  that  had  been  showered  upon  it 
by  the  Club  as  Featherweight  finished  singing  one 
of  his  favorite  songs.     And  not  only  the  table,  but 
everything  else  in  the  cabin  was  associated  in   the 


294  THE  sportsman's  club 

minds  of  the  Club  with  some  exciting  cruise  or 
some  pleasing  event.  It  was  no  wonder  that  they 
liked  to  be  there,  for  a  more  cosy  and  comfortable 
apartment  could  not  have  been  found  anywhere. 

In  the  hold  of  the  schooner  were  stowed  away 
the  water-butts,  the  seven  tons  of  stone-coal  that 
served  her  for  ballast,  extra  sails  and  ropes,  two 
large  anchors  with  cables  complete,  a  chest  of  car- 
penter's, calker's,  and  sail-maker's  tools,  an  abun- 
dance of  fuel  for  the  galley — in  fact  everything 
that  the  little  vessel  could  possibly  need  during  a 
voyage  could  be  found  here.  Walter,  besides  super- 
intending the  building  of  the  yacht,  had  provided 
the  outfit  himself,  and  consequently  there  was 
nothing  wanting.  Everything  was  kept  in  the  best 
order,  too.  There  was  never  a  rope  out  of  place, 
or  a  drop  of  paint  or  grease  on  the  deck.  She 
was  a  model  yacht.  We  have  been  thus  particular 
in  describing  her  because  she  is  an  old  favorite  of 
ours ;  and,  as  we  shall  have  a  good  deal  to  say 
about  her  and  her  exploits,  we  want  everybody  to 
know  how  she  looks. 

"  All  hands  stand  by  to  get  ship'  under  way," 
shouted  Perk,  repeating  the  order  Walter  had  given 
him. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  295 

The  boys  sprang  at  the  word,  and  in  five  minutes 
more  the  mainsail,  foresail  and  jib  had  been  run  up, 
and  the  yacht  began  to  careen  as  she  felt  the  wind, 
as  if  impatient  to  be  oiF.  Eugene  went  to  the  wheel, 
Wilson  and  Bab  cast  off  the  lines,  the  Banner  raised 
herself  almost  on  her  side,  and  taking  a  bone  in  her 
teeth,  went  tearing  down  the  bayou  at  a  terrific 
rate  of  speed. 

"Now,  I'll  tell  you  what's  a  fact,"  said  Perk, 
pulling  his  collar  up  around  his  ears  and  moving 
back  into  the  standing-room  to  get  out  of  the  reach 
of  the  spray  which  was  dashing  wildly  about  the 
bows,  "  this  feels  natural.  It  is  perfectly  delight- 
ful. Wouldn't  she  stand  a  little  more,  Commodore 
— just  an  inch  or  two  ?  We  want  to  make  good 
time,  you  know." 

Walter  looked  up  at  the  masts  and  thought  she 
would  bear  the  topsails ;  but  just  as  he  was  on  the 
point  of  telling  Perk  that  he  might  have  them 
given  to  the  wind,  he  recollected  that  Eugene  was 
at  the  helm.  Knowing  that  he  was  a  very  careless, 
and  even  reckless  fellow,  and  that  he  would  almost 
as  soon  carry  away  a  mast  or  capsize  the  boat  as 
to  luff  an  inch,  the  young  captain  said  he  thought 


296  iHE  sportsman's  club 

he  would  make  the  run  with  the  canvas  he  had 
already  hoisted. 

"Well,  then,"  said  Perk,  "as  the  work  is  over 
until  we  reach  the  village,  Eugene  and  I  can  sail 
her.  You  and  Bab  and  Wilson  consider  it  your 
watch  below  and  turn  in.  I'll  call  you  when  we 
come  in  sight  of  the  wharf." 

Walter  thought  this  good  advice.  He  went  down 
into  the  cabin  and  closing  the  door,  thus  shutting 
but  all  sounds  of  the  wind  and  the  waves,  arranged 
a  bed  on  the  lee  locker,  and  stretched  himself  upon 
it.  Bab  and  Wilson  came  down  one  after  the  other, 
and  before  the  yacht  had  left  her  anchorage  a  mile 
behind,  all  three  were  sleeping  soundly.  When 
Eugene  came  in  to  call  them  about  one  o'clock  the 
lights  on  the  wharf  were  in  plain  sight. 

There  was  only  one  berth  at  the  wharf  in  which 
a  vessel  could  lie  with  safety  during  a  high  wind, 
and  it  was  already  occupied  by  a  little  schooner 
which  was  evidently  getting  ready  to  begin  her 
Toyage  that  night ;  for  her  crew  were  busily  en- 
gaged in  loading  her.  Walter  would  have  been 
astonished  had  he  know  what  consternation  the 
sudden  appearance  of  his  yacht  produced  in  the 
minds  of  at  least  three  of  that  schooner's  company. 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  '  297 

A  foremast  Land,  wlio  was  assisting  another  in 
rolling  a  hogshead  of  hams  up  the  gang-plank, 
ceased  his  work  the  instant  his  eyes  rested  on  her, 
and  leaving  his  companion  to  himself,  dived  down 
into  the  hatchway.  Two  men  who  were  walking 
up  and  down  the  quarter-deck,  arm  in  arm — one 
dressed  in  broadcloth  and  the  other  in  rough  sailor 
garments — stopped  and  gazed  at  her  with  mouth 
and  eyes  wide  open.  They  conversed  a  moment  iji 
low,  hurried  tones,  and  then  the  man  in  broadcloth 
beat  a  hasty  retreat  down  the  companion  ladder ; 
while  the  other  pulled  his  tarpaulin  down  over  his 
forehead,  turned  up  the  collar  of  his  pea-jacket, 
and  having  by  these  movements  concealed  every 
portion  of  his  face  except  his  eyes  and  whiskers, 
thrust  his  hands  into  his  pockets  and  sauntered  up 
to  the  rail. 

"  Schooner  ahoy !"  shouted  Walter,  as  the  Ban- 
ner dashed  up. 

*'  Hallo  !"  was  the  reply. 

*'  I'd  like  to  tie  up  alongside  of  you  for  about 
five  minutes." 

"  Can't  do  it,"  answered  the  master  of  the 
Bchooner,  for  such  he  was.  "  We're  going  to  sail 
immediately." 


298  THE  sportsman's  club 

*'  Ail  right.  When  you  are  ready  to  start,  I'll 
get  out  of  your  way.  Will  you  stand  by  to  catch 
aline?" 

The  captain  of  the  schooner,  although  he  heartily 
wished  the  yacht  a  hundred  miles  away,  could  not 
well  refuse  to  listen  to  so  fair  a  proposition  as  this. 
He  cauorht  the  line  as  it  came  whirlinor  over  his 
head,  and  made  it  fast  on  board  his  vessel ;  and  in 
ten  minutes  more  the  Banner  was  lying  alongside 
the  schooner,  and  Walter  and  Wilson  were  walking 
up  the  street  as  fast  as  their  legs  could  carry  them 
— one  to  call  on  Mr.  Craven,  and  the  other  to  find 
his  father  and  Mr.  Chase.  The  rest  of  the  Club 
remained  on  board  to  watch  the  yacht.  Perk  and 
Bab  paced  the  deck,  talking  over  the  exciting 
events  of  the  day,  and  wondering  what  else  was  in 
store  for  them,  while  Eugene  clambered  over  the 
rail  and  went  on  board  the  schooner.  He  took  his 
stand  at  the  fore-hatch  and  looked  down  into  the 
hold,  where  some  of  the  crew  were  at  work  stowing 
away  an  assorted  cargo,  and  the  first  thought  that 
passed  through  his  mind  was,  that  for  a  vessel  of 
her  size  she  had  very  little  capacity.  What  would 
he  have  thouo-ht  if  he  had  known  that  there  was 
another  hold  under  the  one  he  was  looking  into ; 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  299 

that  it  was  filled  with  a  variety  of  articles  that  had 
that  very  afternoon  been  brought  from  New  Orleans 
in  wagons,  and  which  were  to  be  smuggled  into 
Cuba ;  and  that  in  a  dark  corner  amonsj  those  arti- 
cles  Fred  Craven  lay,  still  bound  as  securely  as  he 
was  when  we  last  saw  him  ?  If  Chase  had  been  there 
he  could  have  told  some  strange  stories  about  that 
schooner  ;  but  as  none  of  the  crew  of  the  yacht  had 
ever  seen  her  before  (the  reason  was  that  she 
always  left  and  entered  port  during  the  night), 
they  took  her  for  just  what  she  appeared  to  be — a 
trader. 

While  Euorene  stood  lookinor  down  into  the  hold, 
the  master  of  the  schooner,  a  short,  thick-set,  ugly- 
looking  man,  with  red  whiskers  and  mustache,  came 
swaggering  up  and  tried  to  enter  into  conversation 
with  him.  He  wanted  to  know  whose  yacht  that 
was,  what  she  had  come  there  for,  where  she  was 
going,  why  Walter  and  Wilson  had  been  in  such 
haste  to  get  ashore,  and  asked  a  good  many  other 
questions  that  Eugene  did  not  care  to  answer.  He 
could  see  no  reason  why  he  should  tell  the  man  the 
Club's  business  ;  and  the  latter,  finding  that  he 
could  get  nothing  out  of  him,  turned  on  his  heel 
and  walked  off. 


300  THE  sportsman's  club 

In  half  an  hour  Walter  and  Wilson  returned,  ac- 
companied by  Mr.  Chase  and  Mr.  Craven.  Wil- 
son's father  was  out  of  tov/n,  and  consequently  he 
had  not  seen  him.  They  were  overwhelmed  with 
astonishment  at  the  stories  the  boys  had  told  them, 
and  Eugene  thought  as  he  looked  into  Mr.  Craven's 
face  and  glanced  at  the  butt  of  the  navy  revolver 
which  protruded  from  the  inside  pocket  of  his  coat, 
that  he  wouldn't  like  to  be  in  Pierre's  place  if 
Fred's  father  ever  met  him.  They  were  impatient 
to  get  under  way.  They  hurried  across  the  deck 
of  the  schooner — passing  directly  over  the  head  of 
one  of  the  boys  they  were  so  anxious  to  find,  and 
so  close  to  him  that  he  heard  the  sound  of  their 
footsteps — and  springing  over  the  yacht's  rail  lent 
a  hand  in  hoisting  the  sails,  and  obeyed  Walter's 
orders  as  readily  as  any  of  the  crew.  The  master 
of  the  schooner  saw  them  as  they  stepped  upon  the 
deck,  and  pulled  his  collar  up  closer  around  his 
face ;  and  when  the  yacht  veered  around  and  filled 
away  for  the  Gulf,  he  hurried  below  to  talk  to  the 
man  in  broadcloth. 

Under  a  jib  und  close-reefed  main  and  foresail, 
the  Banner  made  good  weather  of  it  when  she 
reached  the  Gulf.     She  skimmed  over  the  waves 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  301 

like  a  bird,  and,  guided  by  Bab's  careful  hands, 
never  shipped  so  much  as  a  bucket  of  water.  As 
the  lights  in  the  village  began  to  fade  away  in  the 
distance,  other  lights  came  into  view  in  advance  of 
them — a  red  and  a  green  light.  Then  the  boys 
knew  that  they  were  not  alone  on  the  Gulf,  for 
those  lights  were  suspended  from  the  catheads  of 
some  approaching  vessel.  Like  old  sailors,  they 
began  to  express  their  opinions  concerning  the 
stranger.  She  was  a  sailing-vessel,  because  if  she 
were  a  steamer  they  would  see  the  lights  in  her 
cabin  windows.  She  was  not  bound  to  New  Orleans, 
for  she  was  not  headed  that  way — she  was  coming 
toward  them.  She  was  going  to  the  village,  and 
was,  most  likely,  some  small  trader  like  the  one 
they  had  left  at  the  wharf. 

"Better  keep  away  a  little,  Bab,"  said  Walter. 
"We  don't  care  to  go  too  close  to  her  in  this 
wind." 

Bab  altered  the  course  of  the  yacht  a  point  or 
two,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  position  of  the  lights 
chan<red,  showing  that  the  vessel  in  front  of  them 
had  altered  her  course  also,  and  that  she  intended 
to  pass  close  to  the  yacht  whether  her  captain  was 
willing  or  not.  Believing  from  this  that  the  stranger 


302  THE  sportsman's  club 

had  something  to  say  to  him,  Walter  brought  his 
trumpet  out  of  the  cabin  and  walked  forward.  Tho 
lights  continued  to  approach,  becoming  more  and 
more  distinct  every  moment,  and  presently  a  trim 
little  schooner  hove  in  sight  and  came  up  into  the 
wind  within  hailing  distance.  Walter  also  threw 
the  yacht  up  into  the  wind,  and  waited  for  the 
stranger  to  make  known  his  wants. 

"  Schooner  ahoy !"  came  the  hail  out  of  the 
darkness. 

"  Ay,  ay,  Sir !"  replied  Walter  through  his 
trumpet. 

"  What  schooner  is  that  ?" 

"  The  yacht  Banner,  from  Bellville,  bound  for 
Lost  Island.     What  schooner  is  that  .^" 

*'  We  want  to  send  a  boat  aboard  of  you,"  shouted 
the  voice,  without  replying  to  Walter's  question. 

"Very  good,  sir.     What  schooner  is  that?" 

Still  no  reply.  The  stranger  evidently  did  not 
care  to  tell  who  and  what  she  was.  Walter  was 
amazed  at  this  want  of  courtesy,  and  wondering 
why  a  vessel  that  he  had  never  seen  before  should 
want  to  send  a  boat  aboard  of  him,  sprang  down 
from  the  rail  and  looked  at  the  schooner  throuorh 
his  night-glass.     All  he  could  make  out  was  that 


IN   THE   SADDLE.  303 

her  hull  was  Ion 2:  and  narrow  and  sat  low  in  the 
water,  that  her  masts  were  tall  and  raking,  that 
her  sails  looked  much  too  large  for  her,  and  that 
taken  altogether  she  was  a  very  handsome  vessel, 
and  plainly  a  swift  sailer.  While  Walter  was  look- 
ing at  her,  her  boat  came  into  view.  It  was  crowded 
with  men,  and  as  it  approached  within  the  circle 
of  light  thrown  out  by  the  lanterns  that  Perk  and 
Eugene  held  over  the  side,  Walter  saw  that  they 
were  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  the  revenue  cutter 
service,  and  that  they  were  all  armed.  Even  the 
two  officers  who  sat  in  the  stern-sheets  wore  their 
swords.  Walter,  more  bewildered  than  ever,  looked 
toward  Mr.  Craven  for  an  explanation ;  but  the 
blank  look  on  that  gentleman's  face  showed  that  he 
did  not  understand  the  matter  any  better  than 
Walter  did.  Before  either  of  them  could  say  a 
word,  the  revenue  officer  boarded  the  yacht,  followed 
by  some  of  their  men — the  former  staring  at  Walter 
and  his  crew  with  an  air  of  surprise,  and  the 
sailors  looking  all  around  as  if  expecting  an  attack 
from  some  quarter. 

"Who's  the  raastei  of  this  craft?"  askei  one  of 
the  officers. 

"I  am,  sir,"  replied  Walter. 


304  THE  spoetsman's  club 

"  You  !  '  exclaimed  the  lieutenant.  The  surprise 
he  had  at  first  exhibited  seemed  to  be  greatlj  in- 
creased by  this  answer.  He  looked  at  his  com- 
panion, then  swept  his  eyes  all  around  the  vessel, 
and  finally  turned  them  upon  the  young  commander, 
whom  he  scrutinized  closely.  "You're  beginning 
this  business  rather  early  in  life,  are  you  not  ?  You 
are  not  just  the  sort  of  a  fellow  I  expected  to  see, 
and  neither  are  your  crew  the  desperadoes  I 
thought  them." 

"I  don't  understand  you,  sir,"  said  Walter. 

"You  will  soon  enough.  May  I  trouble  you  to 
show  me  your  papers?" 

"  My  papers  !  I  haven't  any.** 

"Ah!  I  thought  so.  Mr.  Butler,"  added  the 
lieutenant,  turning  to  his  companion,  "  we've  got 
them  at  last.  Bring  your  men  aboard  and  assume 
charge  of  the  vessel.  I  will  take  the  captain  and 
these  gentlemen  on  board  the  cutter,  and  the  rest 
of  the  crew  you  will  put  under  guard.  Follow  in 
our  wake  when  we  fill  away  for  Bellville." 

Walter  and  the  rest  of  the  Club  were  struck 
dumb  with  amazement.  The  former  looked  at  the 
lieutenant  to  see  if  he  was  really  in  earnest,  then 
at  the  sailors  ^^ho  began  to  clamber  out  of  the  boat, 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  305 

and  tried  tc  protest  against  what  he  regarJel  as  a 
most  unwarrantable  and  high-banded  outrage;  but 
he  could  not  find  words  strong  enough  to  express 
his  indignation.  Mr.  Craven,  however,  stepped 
forward  and  spoke  for  him. 

"  Mr.  officer,"  said  he,  *'  may  I  ask  you  to  ex- 
plain the  meaning  of  this?" 

"  Certainly.  We  have  a  description  of  a  smug- 
gler that  has  been  eluding  us  for  a  long  time,  and 
this  vessel  answers  that  description  perfectly.  We 
think  you  are  the  gentlemen  we  have  been  looking 
for,  and  we  are  going  to  take  you  back  to  Bellville 
with  us." 

*'  Oh  !"  exclaimed  Walter,  drawing  a  long  breath 
of  relief ;  "  but  you  have  made  a  great  mistake,  a 
most  ridiculous  mistake." 

"You  certainly  have,"  said  Mr.  Craven.  "We 
are  all  well  known  in  Bellville,  and  assure  you  that 
we  and  our  vessel  are  all  right.  My  brother  is  col- 
lector of  the  port." 

"  I  know  him,  but  I  don't  know  you." 

"We  don't  want  to  go  back  to  the  village,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Craven.  "  A  matter  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance to  this  gentleman  and  myself  demands  our 
immediate  attention.  You  never  saw  a  smuggler 
20 


306  THE  sportsman's  club 

fitted  up  like  this  yacht.  Look  about  her,  and  you 
can  easily  sec  that  she  has  no  place  for  stowing 
away  a  cargo." 

"  That  is  no  part  of  my  duty,"  replied  the  officer. 
"  I  was  told  what  to  do  under  certain  circumstances, 
and  I  must  obey  orders.  I'll  trouble  you  to  step 
into  this  boat." 

By  this  time  the  yacht  was  in  full  possession  of 
the  cutter's  men.  The  boy-crew  had  been  ordered 
below,  and  were  now  in  the  cabin  under  arrest ;  a 
sailor  had  taken  Bab's  place  at  the  wheel,  and 
Lieutenant  Butler  stood  on  the  quarter-deck  with 
Walter's  speaking-trumpet  in  his  hand.  It  made 
Walter  angry  to  see  his  beloved  yacht  under  the 
control  of  strangers ;  but  knowing  that  there  was 
but  one  way  out  of  the  difficulty,  he  sprang  into 
the  boat,  followed  by  Mr.  Chase  and  Mr.  Craven. 

*'  Don't  take  it  so  much  to  heart,"  said  the  latter, 
addressing  the  dejected  young  captain.  ''  This 
man  is  only  a  second  lieutenant,  and  of  course  he 
is  acting  under  orders.  When  we  arrive  on  board 
the  cutter  we'll  talk  to  the  captain.  If  he  wants 
to  find  the  smugglers  we  can  tell  him  where  to  look 
for  two  of  them." 

Walter  caught  at  the  encouragement  thus  held 


IN    THE    SADDLE.  307 

out,  as  drowning  men  catch  at  straws  ;  but  his  hopes 
fell  again  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  in  the  pre* 
sence  of  the  captain  of  the  cutter.  The  latter, 
who  was  a  very  pompous  man,  and  for  some  reason 
or  other  seemed  to  think  himself  of  considerable 
importance,  listened  to  the  report  of  his  officer, 
and  after  telling  him  that  he  had  done  perfectly 
right,  and  that  the  prisoners  looked  like  a  desperate 
lot,  turned  on  his  heel,  and  ordered  the  first  lieuten- 
ant to  fill  away  for  Bellville.  Mr,  Craven  tried  to 
gain  his  ear  for  a  moment,  but  the  captain  told  him 
rather  sternly  that  he  was  very  busy  just  then,  and 
would  attend  to  him  after  awhile. 

Walter  had  not  been  long  aboard  the  cutter  be- 
fore he  became  aware  that  he  was  an  object  of 
interest  to  her  crew.  The  officer  who  had  com- 
manded the  boat  pointed  him  out  to  his  mess  as  the 
captain  of  the  yacht,  and  they  all  looked  at  him 
with  curiosity,  especially  the  young  third  lieuten- 
ants attached  to  the  vessel,  who  congregated  in  the 
waist,  and  stared  at  him  as  long  'as  he  remained  on 
deck.  Walter  was  a  handsome  fellow,  as  neat  and 
trim  as  the  vessel  he  commanded,  and  the  lieuten- 
ants told  one  another  that  he  looked  every  inch  a 
Bailor ;  but  they  could  hardly  believe  that  he  was 


308  THE  sportsman's  club 

the  chief  of  the  band  of  outlaws  of  whom  they  hal 
heard  so  much.  Walter  was  nettled  by  their  close 
scrutiny,  and,  when  the  captain  of  the  cutter,  un- 
bending a  little  from  his  dignity,  intimated  that,  if 
his  prisoners  had  anything  of  importance  to  say  to 
him,  they  might  step  down  into  the  cabin,  he  gladly 
accepted  the  invitation.  He  thought,  however,  that 
he  and  his  friends  might  as  well  have  stayed  on 
deck  and  kept  silent,  for  the  captain  wouldn't  be- 
lieve a  word  of  their  story.  He  wasn't  going  back 
to  Lost .  Island  on  any  wild  goose-chase,  he  said. 
There  might  be  two  smugglers  there  with  a  boy 
prisoner,  and  there  rnight  not — he  neither  knew  nor 
cared.  When  they  reached  the  village  he  would  go 
with  Mr.  Craven  and  his  two  friends  to  the  collector 
of  the  port,  and  see  if  they  were  really  what  they 
represented  themselves  to  be,  and  that  was  all  he 
would  do.  That  settled  the  matter ;  and  Walter, 
greatly  disgusted  with  the  captain's  obstinacy, 
bolted  out  of  the  cabin,  slamming  the  door  after 
him. 

The  cutter  stopped  once  on  the  way  to  the  village 
long  enough  to  overhaul  a  schooner  that  was  coming 
out  of  the  harbor.  The  second  lieutenant  boarded 
her,  and  when  he  came  back  reported  that  she  was 


IN   THE    SADDLE.  309 

all  right.  Slie  was  the  Stella,  bound  to  Havana 
with  an  assorted  cargo.  But  she  was  not  all  right, 
if  the  lieutenant  had  only  known  it.  She  had  some 
articles  on  board  that  were  not  mentioned  in  her 
manifest,  and  among  them  was  a  boy  named  Fred 
Craven. 

To  Walter's  great  relief  the  village  was  reached 
at  last,  and  as  soon  aa  the  cutter  had  dropped  her 
anchor  he  stepped  into  the  boat  with  the  captain 
and  the  two  gentlemen,  and  put  off  for  shore  to  visit 
the  collector  of  the  port.  Having  business  on  hand 
that  would  admit  of  no  delay,  Mr.  Craven  did  not 
hesitate  to  call  him  out  of  his  bed  to  listen  to  their 
story  and  set  them  right  with  the  captain  of  the 
cutter.  The  collector,  little  dreaming  what  had 
taken  his  brother  into  the  Gulf  at  that  time  of 
night,  laughed  heartily  at  the  idea  of  his  being 
taken  for  a  smuggler;  and  the  revenue  captain, 
finding  that  he  had  committed  a  blunder,  apologized 
so  freely  and  seemed  to  regret  the  circumstance  so 
much,  that  Walter  was  almost  ready  to  forgive  him. 
Mr.  Craven,  however,  was  not  so  easily  appeased, 
and  neither  was  Mr.  Chase.  They  had  lost  more 
than  three  hours  by  their  forced  return,  and  they 
did  not  know  what  might  have  become  of  their  boys 
in  the  mean  time. 


310   THE   sportsman's   CLUB   IN   THE   SADDLE. 

We  have  no  space  in  this  volume  to  relate  the 
further  adventures  of  our  heroes.  It  will  be  enough 
to  say  that  the  Banner  sailed  away  from  Bellville 
that  very  night — this  time  armed  with  documents 
that  would  carry  her  in  safety  through  a  whole  fleet 
of  revenue  cutters — but  her  cruise  did  not  end 
when  she  reached  Lost  Island.  It  extended  hun- 
dreds of  miles  beyond  it;  and  what  she  and  her 
gallant  young  crew  did  during  the  voyage  shall  be 
told  in  "  The  Sportsman's  Club  Afloat." 


THE  SlflPu 


iiii^jWlJittiUWUUW^ 


The 

Famous 

Castlemon 

Books. 


BY 


Harry 
Castlemon. 


Specimen  Cover  of  the  Gunboat 
Series. 


No  author  of  the  present  day  has  become  a  greater  favorite  with  boys  than 
"Harry  Castlemon;  "  every  book  by  him  is  sure  to  meet  with  hearty  re- 
ception by  young  readers  generally.  H.s  naturalness  and  vivacity  lead  his 
readers  Irom  page  to  page  with  breathless  interest,  and  when  one  volume  is 
finished  the  fascinated  reader,  like  Oliver  Twist,  asks  "  for  more." 

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Frank  before  Vicksburg i  25 

Frank  on  the  Lower  Mississippi i  25 


2  HENRY    T.    COATES    &    CO.'S    POPULAR    JUVENILES. 

GO  AHEAD  SERIES.  By  Harry  Castlemon.  3 
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Go  Ahead ;  or.  The  Fisher  Boy's  Motto i  25 

No  Moss;  or,  The  Career  of  a  Rolling  Stone  ....       i  25 

Tom  Newcombe  ;  or,  The  Boy  of  Bad  Habits     .   .      i  25 

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Frank  at  Don  Carlos'  Rancho i  25 

Frank  among  the   Rancheros i  25 

Frank  in  the  Mountains i  25 

SPORTSMAN'S  CLUB  SERIES.  By  Harry 
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The   Sportsman's  Club  in  the  Saddle  ....      i  25 

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The  Sportsman's  Club  among  the  Trappers  .      i  25 

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Snowed  Up  ;  or,  The  Sportsman's  Club  in  the  Mts.  .       i  25 

Frank  Nelson  in  the  Forecastle  ;  or.  The  Sports- 
man's Club  among  the  Whalers '  25 

The  Boy  Traders  ;  or,  The  Sportsman's  Club  among 

the  Boers i  25 

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The  Buried  Treasure ;   or,  Old  Jordan's  "  Haunt "     i  25 

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HENRY   T.    COATES   &    CO.'S    POPULAR   JUVENILES.  3 

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in  colofs.     In  box ^3  73 

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George  at  the  Wheel ;  cr.  Life  in  a  ?iWt  House  .      i  25 

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Joe  Wayring  at  Home  ;  or,  Story  of  a  Fly  Rod    .      i  25 

Snagged  and  Sunk  ;  or,  The  Adventures  cf  a  Can- 
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Alger's 

Renowned 

Books. 

BY 

Horatio 
Alger,  Jr. 


n     trinmritn"  K  f  twrr      m    ITTrin 


IJlll  I  Nil   ^111 


RapgE'D  DtcK' 


Specimen  Cover  of  the  Ragged 
Dick  Series. 

Horatio  Alger,  Jr.,  has  attain.-d  distinction  as  one  of  the  most  popular 
writers  of  books  for  boys,  and  the  following  list  compriics  all  of  his  best 
books. 

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RAGGED  DICK  SERIES.  By  Horatio  Alger, 
Jr.  6  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra, 
printed  in  colors.     In  box 17  5^ 

Ragged  Dick  ;  or,  Street  Life  in  New  York    ....       i   25 

Fame   and   Fortune ;   or.  The  Progress  of  Richard 

Hunter i  25 

Mark,  the  Match  Boy  ;  or,  Richard  Hunter's  Ward     i  25 

Rough  and  Ready  ;  or,  Life  among  the  New  York 
Newsboys 

Ben,  the  Luggage  Boy  ;  or,  Among  the  Wharves    .       i  25 

Rufus  and  Rose  ;  or,  the  Fortunes  of  Rough  and 
Ready 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES.  (First  Series.) 
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trated.    Cloth,  extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box  ...      5  00 

(4) 


I  25 


I  25 


HENRY    T.    COATES    &    CO.'S    POI'ULAR    JUVENILES.  5 

Tattered  Tom  ;  or,  The  Story  of  a  Street  Arab      .    .  i  25 

Paul,  the  Peddler;  or.  The  Adventures  of  a  Young 

Street  Merchant I  25 

Phil,  the  Fiddler ;  or,  The  Young  Street  Musician    .  I  25 

61ovr  and  Sure ;  or,  From  the  Sidewalk  to  the  Shop  I  2§ 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES.     (Second  Series.) 
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in  colors.     In  box j^5  ^O 

Julius ;  or  the  Street  Boy  Out  West l  25 

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Sam's  Chance  and  Hovr  He  Improved  it  .    .    .  i  25 

The  Telegraph  Boy .  i  25 

liUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES.  (First  Series.) 
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Strong  and  Steady  ;  or.  Paddle  Your  Own  Canoe  .  i  25 

Strive   and    Succeed;    or,  The  Progress  of  Walter 

Conrad 12$ 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES.  (Second 
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box ;?5  00 

Try  and  Trust ;  or,  The  Story  of  a  Bound  Boy  ...  i  25 

Bound  to  Rise  ;  or  Harry  Walton's  Motto I  25 

Risen  from  the  Ranks ;  or,  Harry  Walton's  Success  i  25 

Herbert  Carter's  Legacy  ;  or,  The  Inventor's  Son  .  i  25 

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in  colors.     In  box S3  75 

Frank's  Campaign  ;  or,  The  Farm  and  the  Camp    .  i  25 

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Charlie  Codman's  Cruise i  25 


6  HENRY   T.    COATES    &    CO.'S    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 

BRAVE  AND  BOLD  SERIES.  By  Horatio 
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Brave  and  Bold  ;  or,  The  Story  of  a  Factory  Boy  .    .       i  25 

Jack's  Ward  ;  or,  The  Boy  Guardian i   25 

Shifting  for  Himself;  or,  Gilbert  Greyson's  For- 
tunes       , I   25 

Wait  and  Hope  ;  or,  Ben  Bradford's  Motto    ....       i  25 

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The    Young   Adventurer;  or,   Tom's  Trip  Across 

the  Plaii.s 1   25 

The  Young  Miner ;  or,  Tom  Nelson  in  California    .       i   25 

The  Young  Explorer  ;  or,  Among  the  Sierras      .    .       i  25 

Ben's  Nugget ;  or,  A  Boy's  Search  for  Fortune.     A 

Story  of  the  Pacific  Coast I   25 

ATLANTIC  SERIES.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  4 
vols.,  l2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box $5  00 

The    Young    Circus   Rider;    or.   The   Mysteiy  of 

Robert  Rudd i   25 

Do  and  Dare  ;  or,  A  Brave  Boy's  Fight  for  Fortune    .       i   25 

Hector's  Inheritance  ;  or.  Boys  of  Smith  Institute  .       i  25 

Helping  "Himself ;  or,  Grant  Thornton's  Ambition     .       i   25 

WAY  TO  SUCCESS  SERIES.  By  Horatio 
Alger,  Jr.  4  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth, 
extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box $S  <JO 

Bob  Burton i  25 

The  Store  Boy i  25 

Luke  Walton i  25 

Struggling  Upward i  25 


New  Book  by  Alger. 

DIGGING   FOR  GOLD.      By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr. 

Illustrated  1 2mo,     Cloth,  black,  red  and  gold      ...       i   25 


New  Series 
of  Books. 


Indian  Life 

and 

Character 

Founded  on 

Historical 

Facts. 


Specimen  Cover  ot  the  Wyoming 
Series. 


By  Edward  S.  Ellis. 

0%  Any  Volume  sold  separately. 


BOY  PIONEER  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis. 
3  vols.,  l2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed 

in  colors.     In  box $3  7$ 

Ned  in  the  Block  House  ;  or,  Life  on  the  Frontier,     i  25 
Ned  in  the  Woods.     A  Tale  of  the  Early  Days  in 

the  West i   25 

Ned  on  the  River i  25 

DEERFOOT  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  In 
box  containing  the  following.  3  vols.,  i2mo.  Illus- 
trated         '    '    '    ■    •    $3  7S 

Hunters  of  the  Ozark i  25 

Camp  in  the  Mountains i  25 

The  Last  War  Trail i  25 

LOG  CABIN  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis. 
3  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box ^3  75 

(7) 


8  HENRY    T.    COATES    &    CO.'S    POPULAR    JUVENILES. 

Lost  Trail $12^ 

Camp  Fire  and  "Wigvsram i  25 

Footprints  in  the  Forest i  25 

"WYOMING    SERIES.     By  Edward  S.  Ellis.     3 
vols.,   i2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed 

in  colors.     In  box ^3  75 

Wyoming i  25 

Storm  Mountain i  25 

Cabin  in  the  Clearing i  25 

New  Books  by  Edward  S.  Ellis. 

Through  Forest  and  Fire.     i2mo.     Cloth    ...      i  25 
On  the  Trail  of  the  Moose.     i2mo.     Cloth    .    .      i  25 

By  C.  A.  Stephens. 


Rare  books  for  boys — bright,  breezy,  wholesome  and  inslructive  ;  full  of 
adventure  and  incident,  and  infbrniaii  n  upon  natural  history.  They  Llend 
instruction  with  amusement — contain  much  useful  and  valuable  information 
upon  the  habits  of  animals,  and  plenty  of  adventure,  fun  and  jollity. 

CAMPING  OUT  SERIES.  By  C.  A.  Stephens. 
6  vols.,  l2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box $7  50 

Camping  Out.     As  recorded  by  "  Kit  " i   25 

Left  on  Labrador;  cr  The  Cruise  of  the  Schooner 

Yacht  "  Curfew."     As  recorded  by  "  Wash  "    ....       i   25 

Off  to  the  Geysers  ;  or.  The  Young  Yachters  in  Ice- 
land.    As  recorded  by ''Wade  ' i   25 

Lynx    Hunting.       From   Notes   by   the    author    of 

•' Camping  Out  " I   25 

Fox  Hunting.    As  recorded  by  "  Raed  " i   25 

On  the  Amazon  ;  or.  The  Cruise  of  the  "  Rainbler." 
As  recorded  by  "  Wash  " I  25 


By  J.  T.  Trowbridge. 


Tbese  stories  will  rank  among  the  best  of  Mr.  TrTwbridg:e's  books  for  the 
young — and  he  has  written  tome  of  the  best  of  our  juvenile  1  teratuie. 

JACK  HAZARD  SERIES.  By  J.  T.  Trowbridge. 
6  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  Illustrated.  Clodi,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box ^7  50 


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